Wishes
by Josephine Martin
Summary: Summary: Now Complete! When Buffy wakes up the morning after the musical she finds her life is very different – it even looks like her relationship with Spike has changed! Meanwhile in standard SunnyD, another Buffy wakes to a houseful of strangers.
1. Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: The characters in the story belong to Joss Wheddon and Mutant Enemy. The story has no commercial purpose and is simply written for fun.

Wishes by Josephine Martin

Summary: When Buffy wakes up the morning after the musical she finds her life is very different – it even looks like Spike has move in. Meanwhile, in the Sunnydale we all know, a very different Buffy finds she's surrounded by strangers. So, two Buffys and two Spikes – can they fight two very different evils?

Rated R/18 for violence, implied sexual situations and feelings – some non-consensual.

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This takes place immediately after 'the kiss' at the end of 'Once More with Feeling'

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Chapter 1 – Sunday Night, Early Monday Morning

Sometimes she surprised herself. This wasn't really a good thing. She didn't surprise herself because did better than she expected. She surprised herself because of the downright stupid things she did. Like tonight. She went to see the music demon fully prepared to die. She didn't seem to have any reason to live, and it seemed the simplest thing to do. She had already died twice – most recently to save her sister, and to do it again seemed the obvious solution. But she had reckoned without Spike. If she lived to be as old as he was, she'd never understand the bleached blonde vampire. He saved her from burning to death when the music overtook her. He stopped her from combusting. She didn't understand what she had done to deserve the way he was always around, always trying to help. Admittedly, most of the time he was just plain irritating. Yet there was something comforting in knowing that whatever she did, he'd always be there for her. 

Funny really. Everyone else she'd trusted like that had let her down. First there was her dad. Upped and left, never to be seen again. Then there was Angel. Her 'First Love'. At least she understood his reasons for leaving, but it didn't make it hurt less. Then there was her mother. Obviously it wasn't her fault she died. But the result was the same. Buffy was left to cope without her. And now Giles was going too. Willow and Xander had been her friends for a long time, but they were both involved with partners and had less and less time for Buffy. So what did she have in her life? She had a sister – a teenage sister for whom she had to be mother, father and big sister all rolled into one. She had a vampire – a vampire without a soul – who claimed to love her. And so far, he had stuck with her. Which led to her second mistake of the evening. She had kissed him. It wasn't the other way around – at least not at first. She had made the first move, although he responded within the smallest fraction of a second. She didn't love Spike. She didn't even like Spike. So what on earth possessed her to kiss him? But then again, she had enjoyed it. She hadn't wanted it to end. She had wanted it to lead to other things she couldn't even consider. But, fortunately, (was it fortunate?) she realised where the kiss could lead and she pushed him away and ran for her life, leaving him standing confused, in the street.

She readied herself for bed. Some time later, she heard Dawn, Willow and Tara come in, still talking about the final defeat of the demon. They were still laughing at Xander's face when he realised he might have to 'be his queen'. She heard the conversation and felt more isolated than ever. Sometimes she decided that what she really needed was some time alone. Some time when no one needed anything from her. A chance not to be the Slayer, big sister, friend, whatever. Just a chance to be herself. More than anything, right now, she wanted a chance to just be herself without the myriad of people and things who needed things from her. This was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Spike had been surprised when Buffy kissed him. Things hadn't been going too well with that music demon around. He had told her some things he really didn't want to mention. Like the fact that, when he allowed rationality to overcome his feelings for her, he knew he should leave. But then he couldn't leave her any more than he could fly to the moon unaided. So he had asked her to stay away from him. That must have hurt her, because she threw it back at him later. And he had been angry enough with her to leave her to her fate. For all of about five minutes. Then, faithful puppy that he was, he was right back there, saving her from musical combustion. As the gang sang their musical finale, he realised, not for the first time, that he didn't belong and left. What surprised him was that she followed him – as if she didn't feel she belonged any more either. And then she stopped him, singing a reprise of their song. And then the kiss. She had kissed him once before. After he had been tortured by Glory. Then it was a chaste kiss on the lips to thank him for not betraying Dawn. And he hadn't even realised it was her until the instant their lips met. Up until then, he had thought he was talking to the robot.

The kiss tonight was as different from that as two kisses could be. It wasn't chaste, and it wasn't quick. It lasted and he could feel her passion, her need. It ignited him and he half expected to smell burning as he combusted with the heat of it. He couldn't account for why she had kissed him just them. It was obvious from the kiss that she found him attractive – but she had never given any indication she cared for him, not really. Once he had tried to get her to admit there was a mutual attraction between them. She denied it then, but she had admitted it tonight. Not in words – in the kiss. She couldn't have faked that, he was sure of it. She wanted him – almost as much as he wanted her, and that was more than he wanted to feel for anyone. But for him, it wasn't just a physical attraction. It had been at first, but he, William the Bloody, stupid sod, had fallen in love with the Slayer. He hadn't planned it. He'd tried to deny it for a long time. But eventually he'd realised the truth of how he felt. He was trapped and he didn't really want to be rescued.

When Buffy left, he'd headed for Willy's, fully intending to get drunk. Once there, he found that the alcohol simply didn't have any effect on his mood. He was drinking to try to forget that he loved someone who hated him. Someone who obviously wanted him, but still hated him. After too many drinks, he headed back to his lonely crypt. He'd even turned down the attentions of a rather attractive female vampire. She'd been all over him, trying to get his attention, but his attention was elsewhere. 

When he got back, it was still an hour or so before sunrise. As he tried to sleep, he imagined the night had gone differently. He imagined Buffy had come back to the crypt with him, and that they had spent the night indulging his favourite fantasies with her. Well, she was his favourite fantasy, so what else could he do? But, just before sleep came, realisation hit him. It wouldn't matter if she loved him. Her friends, her watcher, her whole existence as the Slayer would ensure they would never be together. His last thought was a new fantasy – a world where she had no responsibilities, no friends, nothing to stop them being together. Now, wouldn't that be lovely?


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2 – Monday, Alternate Reality

Buffy woke the next morning, looking at her alarm clock. It was 9 o'clock! Why hadn't the alarm gone off? She had to get Dawn off to school. Hoping that Willow had seen Dawn off, Buffy jumped out of bed, pulled on a wrap and ran into Dawn's room. She stood in the doorway, looking at the room in disbelief. The room was full of packing cases and junk. It looked like no one had used it in a long time. Buffy turned and headed to Willow and Tara's room. She burst in through the door and stopped dead. The room looked exactly like it had when her mom was alive. For a fraction of a second, there was hope. The whole last few months had been a bad dream and her mother was still alive. As quickly as it had sprung up, the hope was gone as she looked around the room. The decoration was as it had been when her mother was alive, but there were no personal things, no signs of occupation. The bed wasn't even made up. In a daze, Buffy walked into her own room, managing to sit on the bed. She shook her head several times, trying to throw off the panic which was threatening her. She pinched herself, trying to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She felt the pinch well enough – there can be definite disadvantages to Slayer strength. Persuading herself to think logically, she grabbed the phone from the table beside her bed. She pressed the short code for Xander's number. The phone simply beeped at her to say it didn't have a number for that code. Irritated, she tried the code for the Magic Box. Same result. She rummaged through her drawer, finding her address book. She didn't keep phone numbers in her head any more – that was what speed dialling was for. She looked under H for Harris. There was no entry. She checked for the Magic Box. Again, no entry. Seriously worried now, she couldn't work out who to call next. Even Giles had been staying here. She jumped up. Giles. He must be downstairs. Running down, she found no sign of him or any of his belongings. Going into the lounge, she noticed immediately that there were no photos. There had been several around the room – her and her mom and Dawn and the Scoobies. They were all gone. Wait a minute. Over in the corner. Her weapons chest. It was gone too. Somehow, she had gone to sleep last night and awakened to a completely different world.

She walked into the kitchen. She wasn't sure what to do next, but thought some breakfast might help. As with the rest of the house, she saw nothing in the kitchen to suggest that anyone but she lived there. She quickly ate some breakfast than went upstairs to shower and dress. Looking into her wardrobe was a revelation. Gone were her trousers, gone were the clothes she went slaying in. The wardrobe was full of the loveliest clothes, but absolutely nothing practical for her way of life. She chose the best she could find, a soft, full, calf length skirt in a pretty turquoise colour and a blouse which seemed to match. Both were made from a satiny material which felt lovely against her skin but which would simply not survive her first meeting with a demon. Shrugging, she finished dressing and went outside. She had taken a look at her reflection in the mirror before she left and had liked what she saw. 

The only place she could think of to go was Spike's crypt. She decided she must persuade him to get a phone. As she left Revello Drive, she noticed other changes around her. There was none of the atmosphere that Sunnydale usually exuded. There were fewer abandoned buildings. Something strange was going on, and she really didn't have a clue.

She was relieved when she got to Spike's crypt. She usually wore shoes which weren't exactly sensible, and the sandals she had chosen to wear were pretty, but completely unsuited to walking. She thought about kicking open the crypt door as she usually did, but one glance at her aching feet persuaded her that the sandals would simply not survive. For the first time, she opened the door gently. She stepped inside, looking around. There was no sign of Spike, but she knew he spent a lot of time underneath, so she walked to the trap door, opened it and crept down. She saw him immediately. He was lying in the middle of his large bed, dead to the world. She smiled to herself. She had used that phrase before, but never so accurately. She walked towards him, intrigued by the perfect stillness. There was no rise and fall of his chest because he didn't have to breathe. He naked chest was uncovered and she stopped, unsure whether to approach further. She decided to act as normally as possible, even if nothing else was normal. She found a book and threw it at him, shouting his name. He sat up with a start, looking at her, while pulling the sheet up over him from where it had slipped as he sat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted at her. "Could've given me a heart attack, waking me like that."

"Your heart's dead, just like the rest of you. What's going on?" she asked.

Spike just looked confused. She seemed serious, but he couldn't for the life of him understand why she thought he'd been up to anything. It was only a few hours since she'd last seen him. Since she'd kissed him. The memory of the kiss swept back over him, threatening to cause embarrassment. He changed position to make things less obvious. "Well," he drawled back at her, "last thing I remember is coming back here after trying unsuccessfully to get drunk. The getting drunk was a result of the last few minutes I spent with you. When you kissed me, then ran off. Tried to understand it, but gave up the attempt and thought some alcohol would make it easier to stop thinking. 'Twas giving me a headache."

He looked at her properly now. She was obviously worried. Shrugging off his initial irritation, he wrapped the sheet around him and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. "What's the matter, love? Is it Dawn? What happened?"

Buffy tried to explain, but knew she wasn't making sense – she **knew** what she was saying and **she** didn't understand it. He reached out to her hand and pulled her towards the bed. She sat down beside him, not thinking of the incongruity of sitting on a bed beside an apparently naked Spike. His hand was on her shoulder, his thumb running comforting little circles over her blouse.

She took a deep breath, trying to find a way to make sense of what she had seen this morning. When she had finished, he was looking quizzically at her. He obviously thought she was mad. Well, she would have thought so too, if their places had been reversed. "You've been dreamin', pet. Go home, you'll find it's all in your imagination."

She stiffened and he immediately knew he'd said the wrong thing. "I'm not imagining it. I know it sounds crazy. But they're all gone. It's like Dawn never existed, and if Willow and Xander are around somewhere, they're just not part of my life. You're the only other person I could think of. Believe me, I wouldn't be here if I could think of anyone else."

Spike saw the truth of her words and was hurt by them. He would certainly be her last resort. And she didn't seem delusional. "Ok, suppose I accept what you say. What do you want me to do?"

She relaxed at his words. At least he was prepared to listen. "I don't know. Could you, y'know, find out what's happening among the local demons? I could do the same in the human world. Meet you back here before sunset?" As she said this last, she stood up, watching for his reaction.

"Sure, pet. I'll have a nose around." When he didn't move immediately, Buffy realised again that he was undressed under the sheet and reddened. "See you later," she added, heading for the steps.

Buffy wasn't sure where to start. She didn't fancy walking anywhere, but didn't really have a choice. She headed for the centre of town, just looking around. Everything looked vaguely familiar, as if she hadn't been there for a long time. Suddenly worried, she checked the date on a newspaper on sale from a machine. It was what she expected. "Ok, not time travelling," she thought, somewhat relieved. Another thought led her to a making a telephone call. She found a public phone and looked up the number of UC Sunnydale. When she got through, she asked for someone who could get her information on a student.

"I need to find an old friend, Willow Rosenberg. I've come to town to see her, but I forgot my address book and I don't have a note of her number. I've got to see her. Can you tell me how to contact her?"

"I'm sorry, we can't give out our students' private information."

Buffy started to reason with the woman. She pleaded. She even managed to make her voice break a little. At last, the woman relented. "Let me just check, yes, we do have a Willow Rosenberg registered. She should be in her psychology class at the moment. If you could come here, you could maybe catch her…." The conversation continued with details of how to get to the Psychology building and the information that the lecture would be over at 11 o'clock. Buffy was able to find a bus to take her to the campus and with a sigh of relief, she sat down.

Knowing her way around the campus, Buffy made it to the Psychology building with time to spare. She stood around, waiting, expecting to see some familiar faces in the milling crowds but there were none. As 11 o'clock approached, she turned her attention to the exit from the building. A few moments later, the exodus began.

She was almost going to give up when Willow eventually came out. She was among the last to exit. What surprised Buffy most was who she was with. They were wrapped in each other's arms as they walked, neither giving any attention to their surroundings. Willow and Xander were obviously 'together' in a way they had never been in the 'normal' world.

Buffy approached, shouting Willow's name. Willow looked around, trying to find the source of the interruption. When she spotted Buffy, she looked momentarily confused, then light dawned. "Hey," she said. "I remember you, Buffy Summers, Sunnydale High. We shared a couple of classes. Haven't seen you in … I don't know. Xander, you remember Buffy, don't you?" Xander had dragged his gaze away from Willow to look at Buffy. "Yeah, think so," he replied, showing a total lack of interest in the new arrival. 

"Hey, we've got to rush, we've got another class. You enrolled here now? I'll see you around." Willow was dragged off by Xander as she finished talking.

Unsure what else to do, Buffy took the bus back home. She sat in her almost familiar surroundings, trying to work out what else to do. In desperation, she thought of the Watchers Council. Maybe they would know where Giles was in this reality. It took a while to get the number, and even longer to get them to admit knowing a Rupert Giles. In fact, there never was an actual admission, but in the end, something of Buffy's desperation must have pushed through the officiousness, which seems endemic in all those responsible for fielding calls for large organisations. "I'm sorry, Miss Summers, but I can neither confirm nor deny that the Council has knowledge of a Mr. Giles. However, if you could leave your contact details, I could perhaps pass them along, if at some time I find the gentleman's details? Then, if he exists, he could perhaps choose to contact you."

Realising this was the best she was going to get, she left her telephone number. For something to do while she waited, she started to do some tidying. There really wasn't a lot that needed doing. Almost as if she didn't have anything much else to do in this reality. It was nearly two hours later when the phone rang. She jumped, running to the phone.

"Miss Summers?" she heard Giles' familiar voice.

"Giles, oh Giles, thanks for calling me. I woke up this morning and everything's different. I need to know what's going on. What happened?"

The answering voice was cold. "Miss Summers, you really have a nerve calling me after your behaviour. How can I tell you about what happened to you last night? I haven't been in Sunnydale for over five years. Since you refused to have anything to do with being the Slayer and ensured that I lost my job as school librarian, leading in turn to my being deported. I'm not even sure why I called. If you'll excuse me, …."

Buffy interrupted. "Giles, wait, please listen. I don't know what happened in your past, but I saw you yesterday. I've been the Slayer since I was sixteen and you've been my Watcher. I went to bed last night, and everything was familiar, yet when I woke this morning, you're gone and Willow and Xander hardly know me, and my sister's gone and…"

"Wait. You don't have a sister – at least you didn't have when I last saw you. And, well, I remember Willow Rosenberg. She tried to befriend you, but you didn't want to know. That's how I remember your relationship with Willow. Why don't you tell me what happened according to your memory?"

Relieved that he was actually willing to listen, Buffy started to tell this strange Giles the story of her life since becoming the Slayer. Some parts were obviously familiar to the Watcher. Not that he admitted her involvement with any of it, it was as if the outside events had happened but she had not been part of it. When she finished, he seemed warmer, as if he almost believed her.

"Can you tell me what happened here? I know what happened in my reality, but here, I need to know how things are. I've tried everyone else I can think of. Even Spike – but he's got the same memories that I have."

"Wait, did you say Spike? Also known as William the Bloody? He's the scourge of Sunnydale. He's the only senior vampire not wiped out by the Initiative. Never thought I'd say it, but I thank God daily for the Initiative. Without them, Sunnydale would have been … well, I'd rather not think about it. Riley Finn and his team did your job. They decimated the demon population, but had to move on before they got Spike. Still, the vigilantes are keeping him in check, from what I've heard."

Giles went on, telling the story of Sunnydale, as he understood it. Of course, it was all second hand. He had been in London all that time. Because she had accused him of stalking her - reported him to the school so they had been forced to sack him. Although charges were never pressed, he was deported, his character forever blemished.

When the call eventually ended, she sat for some time taking in the information she had received. It seemed as if Giles believed her story. She looked at her watch. 5 o'clock. Remembering her promise to Spike, she grabbed some food, changed her shoes and headed towards the cemetery. Remembering Giles' words, she picked up some pieces of wood on her way, fashioning stakes from them as well as she could. Just in case.

As she approached the cemetery, she became aware of a crowd ahead. They were noisy, chanting 'Kill the Demon' over and over again. She stopped short of the crowd, waiting to see their intentions. A few moments later, it was obvious. They were heading for Spike's crypt, and they were armed with explosives. She crept closer, trying to hear the individual conversations. "Can't believe he had the nerve to come back. And to his old crypt, too. Thought we'd run him out of town last time."

"You sure he's here?" another asked.

"Yeah, he was spotted earlier. And I can smell him." As he said this, he held up a small electronic device. One look told Buffy it was US Military issue. Riley.

Realising that there were too many of them for her to stop, Buffy simply followed. When they reached the crypt, two went inside. A moment later, there was a massive explosion. The two had come out, shouting, "Threw them down into his lair. He didn't stand a chance." The crowd cheered and laughed. A veritable party atmosphere ensued as the crowd left the cemetery. Buffy did her best to melt into the shadows – easier now that the sun was low in the sky. As soon as the crowd had gone, she ran to the crypt. The door had been blown off its hinges by the force of the explosion. Piles of what were Spike's belongings smouldered on the floor. She ran to the trap door, to find no ladder beneath. Ignoring her concern that she might be trapped, Buffy let herself into the area below. The devastation was almost complete. There was rubble everywhere. One look around and she knew that nothing could have survived the blast. Her one ally in this strange world was gone. Buffy sat down on the rubble and started to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3 – Late Monday, Alternate Reality

It took a few minutes of crying before she realised she had to take control of herself and the situation. Whatever was going on, she was the Slayer and she had faced worse. She had even been alone before. There had been times when, even though the others were around, she had shut them out, or times when she knew they would not like her plans. Picking herself up, she started to think. Spike had been quite happy with the idea of getting some information for her. And he had been seen. That must mean he had a way of getting around in daylight. She took a good look around. She followed the walls of this strange basement to a crypt, until she found an area where damage seemed more severe than elsewhere. Logically, if there was an exit, that would be a weak point in the structure. The damage could be worse there simply because of some specific action of the explosion, but it was worth checking out. She made her way to that part of the wall, picking her way over the debris. As she got closer, she had to move several large slabs of rock and earth, and she was glad she still had Slayer strength. After a few minutes hard work, she spotted the exit. It took another half an hour of lifting chunks of rubble before she could get through. When she did, she stepped through gingerly, unsure of what she would find. The floor seemed solid enough, so she took a few steps further in. Once inside, she noticed a little light filtering through grills in the ground above. She had heard of the system of tunnels installed when the old Mayor was in power, but hadn't really understood the extent of them. The floor in here was still covered with rubble, but it was much thinner on the ground. She started to explore, looking around for some sign of Spike – some indication he had managed to get away. What she saw, made her heart sink.

About 10 metres from the tunnel entrance, she saw him. He was lying in a heap, looking exactly as if some much bigger monster had dropped him. Which was almost exactly what had happened, if you simply exchange 'monster' for 'explosion'. She rushed over to him, not knowing what she would find. He was crumpled, more or less on his front. Very little of the backs of his clothes had survived the blast, and what she could see of his skin was badly burned. She called his name, hoping he was not so injured he couldn't hear. At first there was no response, but as her voice gradually increased in volume, he reacted, groaning in pain. Buffy gently put a hand on an arm which didn't seem to be too badly hurt. As he felt her touch, his head tried to turn in her direction, and his eyelids flickered open.

"B..Buffy?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied softly, "I'm here."

"Did you say something? Sorry, my ears'r still ringing from the explosion."

He attempted to get up, but fell back down again, moaning in pain.

"You've got some pretty bad burns on your back and legs," she said, louder, hoping he would hear.

"I noticed," he answered her, grimacing. "Still, can't stay here. Can you help me up?"

Buffy tried to help him, wincing with him as the pain in his burned back threatened to make him pass out. When he was vertical again, he leant heavily against her.

"I heard them coming. Got some information today, tell you later. Don't know where we should go." He was obviously finding it hard to remain conscious. In her own world, Buffy would have called on one of her friends for help. Here, she was on her own.

"Could you help me find the way to my house from here, Spike?" she asked him. "I don't know my way through the tunnels, and they might have someone watching your front door."

He took a deep breath and nodded, deciding that words were too difficult at the moment.

It took them more than an hour to walk the distance to Revello Drive. Even then, the hardest part was still to come. They had to hoist Spike up out of the manhole closest to her house. He went first, taking the steps slowly, with Buffy supporting him as well as she could. Trying to be inconspicuous was difficult, but they made the short journey without seeing anyone.

Once inside, Buffy quickly thought of the sofa and just as quickly dismissed the idea. If he could lie on his back, it might have been an option. As it was, he would be better off on a bed. The only one currently made up was hers, so that was where she headed. As soon as he flopped front down on the bed, Spike passed out – something Buffy thought was probably for the best. She headed for the bathroom to find a first aid kit. Fortunately, even in this world, she kept a well-stocked kit, and she was able to find what she wanted.

She returned to her room, finding Spike was still unconscious. Taking a pair of scissors from her own drawer, she started to cut the remains of the jeans and T-shirt off his charred skin. He moaned a few times, but didn't seem to come to. Next, she started to clean the burns as gently as she could. This elicited much more groaning, and she found she was upset to be causing him pain. When everything was as clean as she could manage, she gently covered the damage as well as she could. While waiting for him to be up to talking, she went to the linen cupboard and brought out enough to make up her mom's bed. While she worked, she tried to decide what to do next. The priority, as she saw it, was to get Spike back on his feet. To do that, needed blood – human preferably, although animal would do. From what Giles had told her, demons were now the prey of various vigilante groups around the town. She assumed it was one of these which was responsible for Spike's current plight, and if they were equipped with Initiative equipment, they could be tracked. More importantly, she suspected that Spike's usual sources of blood would be unavailable. That only left one option. Her. She wasn't happy about it, but she couldn't think of an alternative.

When she finished with the bed, she returned to her room, noticing that Spike seemed to be awake again. She sat down on the bed beside him, trying not to jar him with her movement. He managed a half-hearted grin.

"You need blood." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah,"

"Any suggestions?" She had decided to see if he knew of any options before she offered.

"No," he whispered. "When I was out today, found, almost no demons left. Usual sources won't supply." The effort of even these words seemed to cost him dearly. 

"Ok," she said, leaving the room.

Spike had been lying in a haze of pain for some time. He had been more or less aware of everything she had done while cleaning and dressing his burns. He had found that she hesitated when he reacted, and he wanted the whole thing over as soon as possible. So he had grit his teeth and let her believe he couldn't feel what she was doing. The effort involved in his recent conversation was major. He didn't know how to get some blood, and he knew that without it, he was useless.

When she returned a few moments later, Spike turned his head to see what she was doing. Afterwards he realised it was just as well that he was lying down, because he would have fallen down when he saw what she intended. In her hands she held a sharp knife, some bandages and a long strip of cloth. Holding her left hand close to him, she slit her wrist with one quick stroke, pushing it to his mouth. The smell of her warm blood could was all he could sense. Instinctively, he put his mouth to her wound and sucked. He lost track of time, not knowing anything except the sensation of warm, human, Slayer blood running down his throat. A whimper from Buffy brought him back with a start and he pulled his mouth away, not sure how much he had taken. "Not too much," he realised as she still had the presence of mind to tie the strip of cloth around her arm, slowing the blood flow, and apply a pressure bandage to the wound. She looked pale, but that was hardly surprising.

The power of the blood coursed through his body. He could feel the healing process start immediately. There was no reduction in pain, if anything the opposite, but he knew he was on the mend. "You ok?" he asked her, suddenly unsure because of her silence.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she sighed. "I've lost blood before. Slayer recovery's pretty good. How about you?"

"Better," he agreed. "You didn't have to, you know. I wouldn't have asked."

"If you had, I wouldn't have given," she smiled back at him. "Feel up to telling me what you found?"

Spike swallowed hard. The taste of her blood was still fresh in his mouth, and even in his currently weakened state, his demon only wanted to drain every drop. "Found very little. All the usual demon haunts – empty. Didn't find any demons, no vampires, whatever. Something big hit this town. It wasn't always like this. The signs of demon occupation were there – just out of date. How 'bout you?"

"Yeah, had to call a man in England to find out, but I got some news." Buffy continued to talk, telling Spike about her meeting with Willow and Xander and more importantly about her talk with Giles.

"So, you put the kibosh on Giles, then," he said, smiling. "That's almost funny. You know, for someone who was always into telling me I'm bad, to end up being deported for stalking a minor. But – the Initiative? They didn't do much good in our version of reality, did they? Why were they so successful in this one?"

"Don't know. Funny thing is, they did all this without a Slayer. Maybe even because there wasn't a Slayer. Maybe our reality'd be better if I hadn't tried to live up to my calling. Maybe everything I suffered, everything I put my friends through, maybe it was all a waste of time. Should've just waited for Riley Finn to come along and make everything right." Buffy sounded depressed.

"Riley? Where'd the cardboard wonder come into this? He was one of the Initiative in this reality too?" Spike sounded amused.

"From what I heard, he was the head honcho – he ran the show. He was the one who came up with the idea of arming the vigilante groups – like the one that blew up your place. According to Giles, the Initiative left a while ago. Only the vigilantes are left."

Buffy hadn't exactly been happy since she woke up that morning. Everything in her world had changed. As she thought over her recent past, she realised. "Last night, as I was falling asleep, I wished for something. Not this, but this is what I got. I wished I could just live my own life without everyone making demands on me. You know, sister, Watcher, friends. Then I woke up, and none of them are in my life any more. None of them are making any demands any more. The only person I have from my previous existence is you. And now I find, that if I'd done what I wanted to do in the first place, if I'd just put two fingers up to the whole Slayer thing, Sunnydale'd actually be better off. Ever felt a complete waste of space?"

Buffy realised as she finished, that she had tears on her cheeks. She only noticed because Spike had raised a hand to brush them away. She pushed his hand away abruptly, immediately sorry when she saw that her sudden movement had caused him pain. 

"You'll never be a waste of space, love. Even in this reality, you've got a purpose. There's something about you, pet. Something the Powers or whatever controlling entity there is, needs. If you're here, I'm damn sure there's something wrong with this version of reality. And we're going to find out what."

For some reason Buffy couldn't really understand, she found Spike's words comforting. He was right. There was something wrong here – not least with the idea of vigilante groups existing at all. In her time as a Slayer she'd learned a middle way. It was something Xander had never understood. It was the reason Spike hadn't been dusted as soon as he was chipped. The idea that demons were generally not a good thing was still there, but it was tempered with the idea that some of them were pretty harmless. If they didn't threaten human kind, why should they be automatically killed? When she looked back at Spike, his eyes were closed, but he looked peaceful now. The haggard expression on his face when he had been unconscious was gone. She got up as quietly as she could and went to her drawers and wardrobe to find night things and clothes for the morning and took them into the other bedroom. Looking at the remnants of her skirt and blouse, she made a mental note to check her finances. If she was going to find out what was wrong here, she'd need to update her wardrobe. She didn't necessarily expect to be rescuing injured vampires from bombsites regularly, but she definitely needed something harder wearing than she had chosen for today. Not merely muddy, not merely bloodstained, it was also ripped in several places. Sighing, she rolled the set up and placed it in the waste-paper basket. She pulled on a wrap and went to take a shower.

The feeling of the hot water on her body seemed to revive not only her body but her spirit too. Spike was right. She was here for a reason. And the sooner she sorted it out, the sooner she could go back. When she had finished, she checked on her houseguest. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully, so she simply light-proofed the window and left.

Spike watched her from under lidded eyes as she checked on him, wearing only her wrap and with her hair in a towel. He thought she looked lovely like that, but knew she wouldn't thank him for the opinion. He was still in a lot of pain, but knew that a night's sleep was the best thing for him. He'd need more blood tomorrow, but hoped he'd be in a fit state to find some for himself –– even if he had to cause one or two animals to meet an untimely end.


	4. Chapter 4

****

Chapter 4 – Early Monday, Standard Reality

The sane morning that our familiar Buffy woke to a strange new world, in the familiar Sunnydale, another Buffy woke to the sound of an alarm clock. "Funny, what did I set that for?" she thought, irritatedly reaching to switch it off.

She stretched like a cat. Of course, she didn't have to be up at any particular time. She turned to touch the body which shared her bed, surprised at the lack of contact. When she realised she was alone, she remembered. The argument. They'd had a blazing row last night. It was an ongoing bone of contention with them, but last night it got out of hand. Fear clutched at her, realising that he'd probably spent the night at his crypt. It was too dangerous now for him to do that. She had to go and make sure he was alright. Stupid pride – why couldn't he have just come back with her? Just because she was mad at him, didn't mean he couldn't stay here – maybe in another room? Ok, that probably wouldn't have lasted more than a couple of hours, but it wasn't important. Sometimes she thought he just didn't realise how dangerous this town was for demons these days. Ever since that awful Riley Finn had come to town with his bags full of electronic gizmos which allowed the people of Sunnydale to track demons. Not to forget the weapons he supplied. 

Jumping out of bed, Buffy rushed to her wardrobe. As she opened it, she got her first shock. These weren't her clothes. She liked her clothes very feminine, floaty, soft. These weren't hers at all. Immediately thinking this was some sort of joke that Spike had decided to play, she went out to go the bathroom. To her amazement, she wasn't alone in her house. The girl she met was taller than Buffy, with long mid brown hair. She was younger too – still in her mid-teens. She was coming out of the bathroom as though she lived there.

"Hey, Buffy, how you doin'? Where'd you get to last night? By the time we'd finished our group sing, you were gone."

Buffy had stood looking at this stranger without speaking so far. She had been too shocked. Now, she was filled with indignation. "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"

The stranger just smiled and answered, "Very funny, Buffy, I think I managed to get over the newly-made fourteen year old thing last year." Saying this, the stranger walked into the spare bedroom, closing the door behind her. The glimpse Buffy got of the other bedroom before the door closed had her confused. The stranger had gone into the storeroom. It had never been used as a bedroom – it was full of boxes and junk. She was about to follow the girl, when another intruder came out of her mom's room. Of course, her mom was dead, but she still called it her room. She hadn't changed anything much, just cleared out the personal things. This intruder looked vaguely familiar. She racked her brains to put a name to the face. The woman was about her own age, with long red hair. She was looking at Buffy as if she was worried. "What's the matter, Buffy? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Buffy managed to get her brain back into gear, stuttering "Y..you're Willow Rosenberg. I knew you at High School."

Willow was looking at her friend very strangely now. "Are you ok? Maybe you should sit down. Tara!" she called, as she led a very confused Buffy into her own room and sat her on her own bed. Try as she might, Buffy couldn't make sense of any of this. First there was a total stranger in the box room, and now someone she hadn't seen since High School was in mom's room. And then there was the mystery of her wardrobe. Things just got odder and odder.

Another stranger now entered the room. She was about the same age as Buffy, with long mid brown hair. Judging by the body language as she approached Willow, they were more than just friends. Both were looking at her, concerned, waiting for her to explain.

Buffy took a deep breath. "I think I must be going crazy. I went to bed last night in an otherwise empty house. No one else lived here – not permanently anyway. I woke up this morning to a stranger in my box room, someone I hardly know and her lover in my mom's room, and a wardrobe full of someone else's clothes. Can someone please explain?"

Willow and the other woman looked at one another. They obviously didn't know what to say. At last Tara started with, "I don't know what's happened. Your aura seems a little off, but you look like Buffy. It's almost like you've been switched. Y.. you're not the robot, are you? Spike hasn't been up to his old tricks again?"

Buffy's eyes opened wide in shock. "Spike! I'd almost forgotten. I have to make sure he's ok." She started to move away but Willow put an arm out to stop her. "Why would you be worrying about Spike? And why wouldn't he be safe? He's got nine lives, that one."

Buffy yanked her arm away and ran to her room to dress, leaving the others confused in the hallway. When she had pulled on some clothes – leather trousers and a halter-top – she came out again, hardly looking at the bemused expression on the other faces. "We'll sort this out later. First I've got to find Spike," she said, running down the stairs.

Buffy ran all the way to Spike's crypt. She was so afraid for him that she didn't notice the subtle differences in this Sunnydale. On arriving, she kicked open the door as she always did and ran to the trap door. Pulling it open she jumped into the lower section. She found him asleep on his bed as if he hadn't a care in the world. She sighed in relief. With complete familiarity, she pulled the light cover off him and got into bed beside him. He stirred at her touch and opened his eyes lazily. "Couldn't keep away, pet? Never mind, we've got all day to make up for being apart last night."

At these words, Buffy stiffened and jumped out of the bed. "You idiot. I've been scared for you. Why did you come back here? The vigilantes could've been waiting. They could still come. You've got to get up and come home with me. We can sort out our differences without you trying to get yourself killed."

Throughout her tirade, her lover had been looking up at her with tolerant good humour. "Sure you won't come back, love, you know what you do to me when you're angry?" To himself he added silently,"(Or happy, or sad, or just about anything to tell the truth)" Buffy looked at him in exasperation. She wanted to pull him out of bed and hit him, but from experience, she knew that wouldn't have the desired effect. That course of action would result in her ending up in bed with him, and while the idea was perfect, the timing was not. Instead, she folded her arms and started to tap her foot impatiently. "GET UP! And put on some clothes. You need to get out of here, and I need some help to explain why my house is full of strangers."

That got his attention. "What are you talking about, love? Only person in your house, apart from you, is me, unless we have a row." 

"That's what I thought," she answered. "But I'm not saying anything else until you're dressed and we can get out of here."

Looking confused, Spike got out of bed, letting the sheet fall to the floor. He stretched, partly because he wanted to, partly to make sure she got a view of what she was missing, and went to find some clothes. As he dressed, he thought about her. There wasn't a day went by that he didn't thank whatever power it was which had given him the chance to share her life. In all his years, he had never met anyone like her. Technically, of course, she was the Slayer. She had just decided, when she was called, to have nothing to do with the whole thing. He smiled to himself over this. He really believed she was the only person who could have done that. She actually got her Watcher deported. Of course, he didn't know her then, but he got a kick out of hearing the story. He had come to Sunnydale to kill her. But after failing on his first attempt, he started to see the advantages in a Slayer who wouldn't play ball with the vested interests. And fortunately, it worked. She had fallen in love with him. The only problem was that he had fallen in love with her. He had ditched Dru and tried for a time to persuade her towards the darkness. He planned an alliance of evil. In fact, once they were together they both pretty well retired from either side. They'd just decided to enjoy life together. And it had been a good life at first. Until Riley Finn and the Initiative came along and decided to get rid of all demons once and for all. He'd even given up killing defenceless humans because she didn't like it. Not that that meant anything to Finn and his groupies. As far as they were concerned, the only good demon was a dead demon. Since then, they'd been living on their wits – trying to keep him alive. And her for that matter. He sometimes thought that was the reason for Finn's zeal. He'd met Buffy and fallen for her. Well, who wouldn't? But that was just after Buffy had first admitted that she loved him, and she stuck with him. To lose out on the girl he loved was bad enough. To lose out to a soulless, dead thing – a vampire - was more than the man could swallow. So he'd made up his mind to wipe out demons in Sunnydale. Spike didn't know where all the resources came from. He didn't really believe they were all financed by the Government as the official line insisted. They'd hidden out of town for a bit, but news came through a few months ago that Finn had left Sunnydale to try the same tactics elsewhere and they'd returned. It was better than it had been, but the vigilante groups he'd left behind still caused problems. 

The argument the previous night had been about Finn. Or more exactly about Spike's belief that Finn was privately financed, and his wanting to find out where the money came from. And ideally to put a stop to it. Buffy had refused. They had tried to get her into the whole 'fight the good fight' thing when she was sixteen and she wouldn't have it. She certainly wasn't going to risk her life now. No amount of trying to persuade her that her life was already in danger had persuaded her yet. Last night, he had almost sensed she was weakening. He thought she had realised it too. That was why she'd been mad enough at him to refuse to let him share her bed. Which made him mad enough to storm out of the house. Which was why he had spent the night in his crypt. And she was right. It was a stupid thing to do.

When he was dressed, they headed for the tunnels. They weren't much used these days – there were hardly any demons left to use them. About a year ago, they'd put a trap door in the basement of Buffy's house which led directly to the closest tunnel. About twenty minutes after they entered the tunnel, they reached the place where the trap door was hidden. Only this time they couldn't find it. During the walk, Buffy had filled Spike in on what she had found in her house that morning. He wasn't sure he believed her, but came along anyway. The fact that the trapdoor was gone was disturbing. That meant they would have to get to her house the old-fashioned way, and they hadn't brought a blanket. With an 'I told you so' shrug, Buffy hoisted herself out of the manhole closest to her house and ran to get something to stop Spike from combusting. She ran to the house, pleased but confused to find it empty, and returned with an old blanket which, by the smell of it had been used for the same purpose before.

Once inside, Spike said, "Ok, love, where're your new house-mates?" House seems empty to me. Buffy had been checking downstairs as Spike spoke and returned to him with a note she had found in the kitchen.

__

Buffy, 

We're really worried about you. Why did you rush off to Spike's this morning? Please don't do anything silly. We'll be back straight after classes today, and we'll see if we can help. We didn't tell Dawn you weren't feeling well so as not to upset her.

Willow and Tara

"See?" Buffy asked. "And come and look upstairs."

Still holding the note in his hand, Spike followed her upstairs. She opened the door to the box room to show the typical teen-age bedroom behind it. Then she opened the door to what had been her mother's room to show that it had been redecorated and was obviously occupied. They both retired to Buffy's room where she started to explore. Spike sat on the bed trying to make sense of what was going on. Looking around, he could see that the room was the same but different. The differences were subtle. He looked again at Buffy. He'd noticed her clothes earlier and had been surprised. It wasn't her usual style at all, but he reckoned she'd look terrific in rags and even better in nothing at all, so he hadn't mentioned it. Now, she was looking through her things and throwing them around the room in anger. He loved watching her when she was angry. It was even better when she wasn't angry with him. When she looked around at him again, there were clothes and shoes all over the floor. "Nothing here is mine!" she shouted at him. "I feel like my whole life had been taken away from me. And look!" She held out three stakes, which she had found during her search. "Since when have I kept stakes in my bedroom?"

Spike looked at the stakes with some trepidation. "I'm not sure I like seeing you with those things in your hand, love. Makes me feel all vulnerable. But you missed something. You may have lost some parts of your life, but you've still got me. You'll always have me – providing you put those stakes down. Why don't you come over here?" He smiled as he said this, that smile which he kept just for her. She complied, sitting beside him. He put an arm around her and pulled her closer to kiss her. Of course, after a night spent apart, the kiss soon led to other things.


	5. Chapter 5

****

Chapter 5 – Late Monday, Standard Reality

They were wakened from their post-coital drowse by the outside door slamming and a voice shouting "Buffy?" 

Buffy jumped out of bed, pulling on the first clothes she could find, which didn't take too long considering everything she owned was lying on the floor. Telling Spike to keep quiet, she left the room. She went downstairs to find Willow and the other girl she now assumed was Tara in the lounge, concern lining their faces. "You ok now?" Willow asked. 

"I'm fine, but confused," Buffy replied. She was waiting for an explanation from the two women, but they seemed to be waiting for her to speak.

"Ok," Buffy gave up waiting. "Why don't you tell me what you're doing in my house? How did you manage to redecorate Mom's room overnight and who is the other girl, Dawn, was it?"

Willow looked even more concerned than before. "Buffy, Tara and I've been living here, well, since you died. And Dawn's your sister. Have you lost your memory or something? Have you seen Giles? Have you spoken to him? I know he's planning to go back to England, that's why he went out early this morning. He had some business to see to before he leaves. Is it a spell or something? How far back can you remember?"

"Wait a minute," Buffy had listened in astonishment to Willow's words. She'd only just come to terms with the first sentence and hadn't processed the rest. "What do you mean 'since I died'? If I was dead, I wouldn't be here, unless I had joined the ranks of the undead, and since I walked to Spike's crypt in daylight this morning without combusting, I have to assume I'm still alive."

"Ok, Buffy, take it easy. You died and we did some mojo to bring you back. We'll talk about that later. Before you woke up this morning, what's the last thing you remember?" Willow was getting agitated.

"I remember going to bed last night. In my house. Alone. I'd had a row with my boyfriend. I was upset. Then I woke up this morning to a house full of people I don't know – well I kinda remember you from High School, Willow, but I'm pretty sure I've never met you or the other girl before." As Buffy spoke, she looked at Tara who had been silent until now. 

Tara now spoke. "When you rushed off this morning, you were going to Spike's crypt. You said you were worried about him. Why was that?"

Buffy looked at her as if she was mad. "The vigilantes, of course. I was afraid they'd get him. Oh, I get it; you're with them. You want all the demons dead, and that's why you're here. Well, you have to go through me to get him, and I have those Slayer advantages even though I never played ball with that Watcher guy. What was his name? Giles, that's it. Rupert Giles. Wait, you just mentioned him didn't you? He was deported. Must've been five years ago. What's he doing back?"

By the time Buffy finished this, both Willow and Tara were looking bemused, especially at the spectacle of the Slayer in defensive stance ready to protect Spike. 

"Buffy, I really don't know what you're talking about. Relax. We're not with the vigilantes, whatever they are. We don't want to kill Spike, at least, I don't think we do. It looks like we've lived through different versions of the past five years, and I think we'd better compare notes." Willow was now conciliatory.

As the women got to the end of their summaries of the last few years, Buffy asked, "What about the other girl. My sister? Where's she?"

"Don't worry, we arranged for her to go to the Magic Box after school so we could talk. We thought she could do without any more trauma just now."

Just then, Spike entered the room. "What's going on, love?" he asked Buffy. She got up to stand between Spike and the others, just in case. "What's Spike doing here?" Willow asked. "Wait, have you talked to him? He must've told you how things've been in the past few years."

Spike looked confused. "Why would I have to tell her what's been happening. We've been in it together." As he spoke, he approached his girlfriend and put an arm around her possessively. This had the effect of causing both Willow's and Tara's jaws to drop. 

Willow recovered first. "Why are you letting him do that? Buffy, that's Spike. I don't know about where you come from, but around here, he's a vampire."

Buffy didn't move. "Yes, I know he's a vampire. He's still the only person in my life. He's the boyfriend I argued with last night. He more or less lives here."

Willow's reply was simply, "Oh boy, just wait until Giles hears this."

As if he knew he was being discussed, Giles came in a few moments later. By this time, Buffy and Spike were sitting on the sofa, body language making their relationship very clear. Willow and Tara had spent the intervening time in silence. Giles came in, saw the spectacle in the chair and stopped dead, his face hard. "I think you'd better sit down, Giles," Willow started. "And Tara, maybe you'd better call Xander."

When they had finished telling Giles the whole story, he spent several minutes cleaning his glasses. When they were as clean as human effort could get them, he said, "It's either a spell, or, there's been a switch between universes. I would assume, if it were the latter, that our Buffy and Spike (and I can't believe I just claimed him like that,) are in your universe now while you're here. Can you check if it's a spell, Tara?" He turned to the couple in the chair. "In our universe, Spike was chipped by the Initiative. Were you?"

"I've been chased out of town and worse by Finn and his cronies, but I'm not sure what you mean by 'chipped'."

As he said this, the couple noticed the tension in the room increase tenfold. "Y..you mean he's not chipped? He could kill us?" Willow voiced what the others were thinking.

"Well, I suppose I could, but I gave up feeding on humans after Buffy'n I got together. She didn't like it, so now the only violence I get is when the vigilantes attack. Then it's just self-defence. Now, what do you mean by 'chipped?'"

When they had explained, he sat, amazed. "So that's why you didn't freak when I came in. Thought Buffy'd just told you to trust me. You thought this chip would give me a pain in me head if I tried to hurt you. Don't think I like the sound of that, at all." 

Realising they were making the others uncomfortable, Buffy and Spike went to her room. The conversations in both rooms were animated. Buffy felt instinctively that the only plausible explanation was the alternate universe one. She was amazed at the lifestyle of her equivalent here. She was the same person, but her life was completely different. Her other self was an active Slayer. She had friends, a sister, but no Spike. From what they'd said, that wasn't Spike's doing. She had rejected him. Her house was groaning with other people. And most of them seemed to live there. And more were coming. She didn't know who Xander was, but he was obviously part of a team this Slayer had put together. The good news was that the vigilantes didn't exist in this reality. The Slayer here fought daily to keep the demon population from killing humans.

When Xander arrived and was told the whole story, his first reaction was to go upstairs and rescue Buffy. That she was alone in her bedroom with an unchipped Spike was beyond his comprehension. The news that this Buffy believed she and Spike had been together for over a year was so mind boggling it was better left alone. When the Magic Box closed, Anya brought Dawn home. When the story was repeated yet again, silence reigned downstairs, until Xander suggested organising some food. Tara went upstairs to ask what the others would like, and it was agreed that Xander would bring in pizza, but would stop at the butcher's for some blood for Spike.

When the pizza arrived, they all assembled in the dining room. There was a very odd atmosphere. They all ate, but they weren't really together. When they had finished, Tara did the spell to track whether Spike and Buffy were under some magical influence. When that gave no result, they realised they had to assume the alternate universe theory was the correct one. The only question still remaining was 'Why?'

By mid-evening, it became obvious that the others expected Buffy to patrol for demons. She refused as she always had, with the result that the others decided to give it a miss for one night, but to go out the following night. Buffy was surprised at this. Willow and Tara were obviously witches with some power, but she couldn't see what Xander and Anya could achieve. Apparently, while the other Buffy was dead, they had used their own system to keep the demon population down. What surprised her, was that the Spike of this reality had been part of that team. She smiled inside at that – Spike, a team player? Not the one she knew.

Much later, when everyone in the house had gone to bed, there was a lot of tossing and turning. Giles was barely able to contain his revulsion for the fact that Buffy was upstairs in bed with Spike. For the first time since he had come back from England to take up residence on Buffy's sofa, he was glad he was downstairs and therefore unlikely to hear anything from that bedroom. Dawn was feeling fairly insecure now that her sister no longer recognised her. It was bad enough to know that you came to life as a ready-made fourteen-year-old. It was worse when your sister didn't share your memories of your childhood – even if they were supplied by some monks. Willow and Tara were worried, but confident that everything would be sorted out. And in Buffy's room, she felt nothing but amazement that in another universe, she had made so many decisions differently, but the decision which amazed her most of all was the one where her other self had chosen to reject Spike. As she snuggled even closer to him as sleep threatened to take both of them, she felt very sorry for her other self, wherever she was.


	6. Chapter 6

****

Chapter 6 – Tuesday, Alternate Reality

Buffy woke early next morning. The sun was up, but only just. For a second she wondered why she was sleeping in Willow and Tara's room. A minute later, she had thrown on some clothes and gone into her own room. Spike looked a lot better. He was upright, and had managed to find some clothes. "Where'd they come from?" she asked, confused.

"Your drawer, over there," came the amused reply. "I needed something. Didn't really know what I'd find, but came up trumps. Just my size, exactly what I like to wear. I think your other self had better taste in men than you have, pet."

Buffy blushed at the obvious inference. The other Buffy having Spike's clothes in her bedroom definitely suggested a different type of relationship. Even Riley had never kept a change of clothes in her bedroom. Curious, she asked, "Is that all of it?"

"No, pet. Take a look." As he said this, he opened a drawer. It contained two more pairs of jeans and at least half a dozen T-shirts as well as what looked like a toiletry bag, some cigarettes and a spare lighter. "I bet, if you check the fridge and freezer, you'll even find blood. Maybe your sacrifice yesterday was for nothing." As he spoke, he remembered the taste of her blood on his tongue. He knew he wouldn't be as strong as he now was if he'd only had pig's blood.

"There's nothing in the fridge, I'd have noticed," she quickly corrected him.

"Then it's in the freezer." He looked at her bandaged wrist. "'Twasn't a waste, either, you know. Meant a lot, you being willing to do that. And I'd still be flat on my stomach without it."

Buffy nodded, not sure how to take his gratitude. It seemed genuine, with none of his usual bluster. She quickly changed the subject. "So, do you want some breakfast? Or just a mug of blood if there's any?"

"Both, I think," he replied. "Then, I suppose I'll be ready for a shower, if that's ok. I'm healing pretty well, and I don't think I can get an infection, but I'd rather not take any chances. Better keep everything clean. Talking of which, how's your wrist?"

Buffy hadn't checked it since before she slept, so she carefully unwrapped the bandage. The cut was almost completely closed.

As Spike had predicted, there was plenty of blood in the freezer. It did his ego good to realise that another Buffy in another reality obviously took his feelings seriously enough to reciprocate them. Buffy just felt worried. She already had some serious misgivings about the signals she had been giving Spike – especially that kiss. Despite the fact that she was glad not to be stuck in this reality alone, she still felt she would prefer anyone to Spike. Having thought that, she realised that everything was easier between them with the knowledge that her friends were not going to suddenly appear. She started to wonder just how much their disapproval of Spike had coloured her own judgement. After breakfast and a shower, Spike decided to have a look around the house for weapons which could be useful if they had another run in with the vigilantes. He didn't find weapons, but he did find something in the basement which could be useful. He called Buffy down. "Look, " he said, opening a trapdoor. "Just a little extra proof, if proof were needed, that I'm a regular visitor here – and not just recently. It leads to the tunnels – no more dashing for the manhole in daylight!" Buffy smiled at Spike's obvious delight at his discovery. He seemed to be taking the apparent closeness of their other selves as encouragement, and she found his enthusiasm infectious until she realised where it could lead.

While Buffy did some things upstairs, Spike decided to take some precautions. He'd lived with Dru long enough to appreciate that it's sometimes necessary to get away in a hurry – and that's always easier when you're prepared. He found a cool bag and located some chiller packs in the freezer. He made sure he could pack up some blood quickly and checked the house for other essentials. When he had found everything he could think of, he went looking for Buffy. She was in her bedroom and the door was closed. He knocked, and entered when invited. She was sitting on her bed with what looked like a diary on her lap. She didn't look up as he entered. "Find something interesting, love?" he asked gently.

"Diaries," she answered, still reading. "In my reality, Dawn kept diaries. I started a few times, but never really kept it up. Too many other things to do. I've been reading these. Last few years, anyway. You know, she never knew Angel? Never accepted the role of Slayer? Never really kept any friends. Her Slayer strength just frightened people away at school. She never told anyone about it, just accepted she was different. You were the only person who accepted her as she was. You're all she talks about for the past couple of years, apart from Mom dying. That happened here too. It was different though, her mom was ill for a lot longer than mine was." There was a lot written about that time, including some things about Spike she didn't want to share with him. Some things she wanted to think about. She continued. "Well, there was the Initiative too. Seems Riley liked her, though. She mentions him a few times – that he asked her out, but she didn't accept. Already involved with you – or your other self. Don't even think he's chipped, there's certainly no mention of it. Her entry for last night's interesting, though. It seems you, or the other you, is worried about Riley's motives. When he came to Sunnydale, he was just a part of the team. Some time later, he took over the whole operation. It was his idea to arm the civilians, and that's how the demon population was reduced. But the other Spike thinks he's being financed by someone other than the Government. He thinks there's something else going on, but she thinks it's just jealousy on his part. Thinks he's still worried about Riley taking her from him. They had a row about it, just about the time we were with the music demon. Except, it sounds like she was almost convinced he was right."

"Glad to hear my other self has Riley pipped. But that theory might be right. I think, maybe we ought to check it out."

Buffy's attention was drawn to the window. Outside, approaching the house was an angry mob. "It looks like they found us," she said, heading for the door. Spike overtook her on the stairs, getting to the kitchen for the blood and freezer packs and adding the cool bag to the things he'd packed. Then he and Buffy headed for the basement and out to the tunnels. A quick discussion as they made their way to the main tunnel led them to decide to head out of Sunnydale. Spike had used some caves outside the town to hide in when the Initiative was after him last time, and that seemed the best idea. 

They made good time, and didn't hear any sounds of pursuit. Buffy didn't dare think about the state of her house. She didn't really expect it to survive if they treated it the way they had Spike's crypt. By the time they reached the outermost limits of the tunnels, it was dark. They crept up into the streets unseen and made their way to the caves. 

They were still half a mile from their destination when they became aware of a presence. Buffy's Slayer sense prickled, so she knew it wasn't human. They tensed, back to back, assuming a defensive posture. Buffy had picked up some larger twigs on the way, which she hoped would pass muster as stakes. As they watched, they found themselves approached by a group of three. Two were human but the other was a demon Buffy didn't recognise. It was huge – over 7 feet tall and built to match, and not exactly pretty. She reckoned it was probably blue in colour, but it was too dark to tell for sure. It seemed scaley, but had no signs of claws or particularly vicious teeth or other offensive attributes. One of the humans, a man, spoke. "What have we here? Spies?" His demon companion shook his head. "One of them is a vampire. Who are you?" Spike made a brief introduction and waited for their response. 

"I've heard of you. If you are who you claim to be. Why don't you come along with us? We'll decide what to do with you later." With that, another, previously unnoticed, person touched both with a cattle prod and Buffy and Spike fell to the ground.


	7. Chapter 7

****

Chapter 7 – Tuesday, Standard Reality

It was the day Giles had booked to return to England. He had argued with himself regarding the wisdom of his actions constantly for the past few days. His doubts had been made clearer by the apparent appearance of a Buffy from another reality, and the disappearance of his own Slayer. His decision to stick to his plans was difficult, but he really felt it was for the best. For a start, the Buffy currently inhabiting his reality didn't know him. And it had to be said that he was uncomfortable with her – especially after hearing what she did to the Giles in her reality. Knowing his own motives and personality as he did, he wondered how anyone could have believed a sixteen-year-old over him. For someone who had, in recent years at least, considered himself a pillar of the community, it rankled. The other motivation was the library of the Council of Watchers in London. Its contents were unsurpassed, and he hoped to discover a way to get everyone back to their own reality. Still, Tara, Willow and Xander were sad to see him go. In its own way, that was quite gratifying, but he was saddened not to be able to say goodbye to the young woman he looked upon as a daughter. The fact that this version of her so obviously relied on a vampire for support in her life worried him, and he knew he couldn't watch them together without commenting, so leaving was definitely for the best.

Buffy and Spike had reacted to their change in circumstances very well. It felt wonderful to no longer have to worry about vigilantes killing Spike. They could live without fear for the first time since discovering their love for each other. The other parts of the package didn't go down so well. Firstly, Buffy was saddled with a dependent teenage sister. Worse, in addition to losing her mother, this sister had lived through a time where her only other family had been dead too. Buffy still struggled with the fact that her other self had friends powerful enough to bring back the dead, and loyal enough to try. The other problem was the total lack of privacy. Buffy had been (officially) alone in the house since her mother's death. When Spike started to spend most of his time with her, they had loved the fact that they had freedom to be together without interruption. Here, they only had Buffy's bedroom, and the walls seemed appallingly thin.

What was more surprising, was the assumption of her friends that she would patrol. She had never patrolled. It was one of those things she had simply refused to get involved with. When she refused at first, her friends had looked at one another and decided to patrol without her. Without discussing her plans, she had decided to follow them to see what this reality had to cope with.

When the house was at last clear of others for the day, Buffy and Spike took full advantage of having the house to themselves, spending most of the day in bed. As soon as dark fell, Spike headed back to his crypt for a change of clothes and to see if his other self kept a supply of blood. He was upset by the fact that in this reality, he still loved Buffy, but that she didn't seem to love him. It made him feel vulnerable in his relationship, but he thought he understood. The looks that her friends gave while they were together would be enough to put most people off. They so obviously disapproved of their love. He had always known that Buffy was too good for him. She'd told him herself often enough, but the last year had been the happiest he'd ever known. And she had been happy too. 

While he had the chance, he had a good snoop around. He found that the demon haunts, which were no longer viable in his Sunnydale, were thriving in this. Having said that, the demon population was not as high as he remembered it pre-Initiative. He noticed some vampires, and quite a lot of the less aggressive species of demon, which had been particularly wiped out in his reality. It was the wiping out of these demons which had really upset him. He was all for a fair fight. He enjoyed violence, but there wasn't much fun in it if it was all one way. He understood there were occasions when the strong had to prey upon the weak – in some respects, what passed for Vampire society required it. But there was always a reason for it. Normally it was a question of power – one clan wanting to dominate another. But, for him, mindless violence was only worthwhile if there was an element of danger for all parties. Of course, he hadn't had as much mindless violence in his life lately. He'd had a few skirmishes with the Initiative. He tried to avoid the vigilantes because they were human. As individuals they posed no real threat. En masse, they were dangerous. Either way, the odds weren't even enough to be interesting.

He got back to Buffy's house to find it empty. There was a note for him in her room.

__

Spike,

My new-found friends have decided to patrol for me! I thought it'd be fun to see how they cope. From what I hear, this was how they managed when 'I' was dead! Except that they had 'you' helping.

See you later,

Buffy

Spike was concerned by the note. He knew that there were demons in this town that Buffy's friends simply weren't strong enough for. He didn't know where they had gone, but he trusted his ability to track Buffy, so he went along too.

Even among vampires he had always prided himself on his ability to track his prey. His sense of smell was acute. But when it came to Buffy, he amazed even himself. Checking the air, he knew which direction she had taken. She had a number of different smells. There was her 'at rest' smell – normally only found when she was asleep. Then there was his favourite smell – the one that said she wanted him. The one he noticed tonight was another. It said excitement of a non-sexual variety. She was enjoying herself. He picked up his speed – if she was having fun, he didn't want to miss out.

It was an old warehouse. Of course, there were lots of disused buildings in Sunnydale. It went with the territory. People moved here, found out about the strange things that happened, and left – often without even trying to sell assets first. This one was surprisingly well appointed. Inside it was bright and cheerful, but the light was all artificial. Dominic had sent an advance party of his most trusted minions ahead to Sunnydale to find appropriate accommodations for the clan. He hardly believed their report when it came. There were no organised vampires in Sunnydale. His minions said that was because of the Slayer, but Dominic hadn't given that too much credence. He believed that other clans had been scared off by the idea of the Slayer. His clan was large, powerful and all fanatically loyal to him. This last was hardly surprising considering the punishment visited on traitors, but Dominic was proud of what he had achieved. With the extra power of the Hellmouth, the clan could only grow in strength. Having inspected the quarters found by his lieutenants, he pronounced himself pleased. Those responsible for the recommendation had been relieved. It just didn't do to disappoint Dominic. There was hardly a member of the clan who had not experienced his wrath at some time, and none had any wish for a repeat performance. Those responsible for his current pleasure were to be rewarded.

He called the whole clan together. This was a nightly ritual. He enjoyed having their undivided attention as he told them of the future of Sunnydale. His speech was rousing, and that wasn't entirely because of the enforcers he had prowling around the throng of vampires. He was an imposing figure, he always had been. He had been the son of a minor French noble – long before the revolution. He had lived simply for his own pleasure, as his father had. As a human, he had prided himself on his appearance. He had been tall among his peers – although he could no longer be considered tall. At 5'10'', he was slim but well muscled. His hair was dark – almost black and his skin had a naturally sallow tone that two centuries without the sun had not completely erased. His face could have been handsome, but there was a coldness about it, an expression of absolute cruelty that could freeze the hearts of those around him. In many ways, his demon visage was less terrifying than the human mask he wore. 

He explained how the warehouse was to be divided up until it could be arranged to his absolute specifications. Dominic believed in privacy for himself and a small number of his most trusted lieutenants only. The others were quartered more or less together. The only exception to this was his requirement that males and females were quartered separately. He did not have a large number of females. He was a product of his (human) generation and believed that females existed purely for the pleasure of the male. Having specified those areas, he knew none would cross unpermitted boundaries, and he decided who had access to the females. Especially since he had made an example of the last fool to thwart him. He remembered he had unfinished business in that direction and made a mental note to order the demise of the vampire who had defied him. His own quarters were a suite of offices on the upper level and this was the only part of the warehouse currently furnished. "This is an historic day for the clan. For the first time, all are together in one place. This requires a change in our habits. Our stay in this place will be long. The food supply is limited. After tonight, you are forbidden to kill your prey. All food must be brought to the pens which are being erected in the basement. We are going into farming." 

Having given his orders, he sent the clan out to feed. Of course, the females did not go out to feed. Prisoners were always brought back to feed these captive vampires. And if his minions looked mainly for female prey, and didn't only use them to feed upon, it made no difference to him.

Outside, close to a cemetery, Buffy kept to the shadows. Her Slayer senses were acutely tuned to the night. Her friends made no effort to be quiet. She was surprised. Her instincts said that they were being foolish. She wondered where her sister was. She hadn't been at home when Buffy left, and she wasn't with the gang.

She saw the four of them ahead, the two witches, Xander and his girlfriend Anya. They were heading for a cemetery, but were still walking along deserted city streets. The area was industrial, with warehouses along both sides. Suddenly, something prickled her Slayer sense, and she knew there was big trouble ahead. She couldn't warn the others without giving away her presence, so she crept up closer to them to be better able to react when the trouble attacked. She saw them at the same time the others did. There were six of them, all male, all in demon face. The gang froze instantly. The vampires were confident, continuing to swagger towards the group of four humans. Tara started to chant something, but the vampires just laughed and kept on coming. Their conversation included discussions of how to apportion the three women among them, and hearing the details, Tara faltered in her chant. 

As Buffy watched, she became aware of another presence - one she knew intimately – Spike. Silently, he crept up behind her, putting a hand possessively on her shoulder. He had spotted the group of vampires and understood the situation without explanation. As the vampires rushed the group of humans, Buffy and Spike threw themselves into the fray. Having expected an easy kill, the vampires were dismayed to be fighting two more, who were stronger than they had expected. It still took about fifteen minutes before the fight was over. Five vampires had been dusted by that time and the sixth was lying on the ground, unable to move after Spike had broken his neck. Spike approached, straddling the vampire with an improvised stake in his hand. He held it over his heart, threateningly. "Why don't you tell us what you're doing here?" 

The vampire goggled at the figure above him, but said nothing.

"Come on, you don't really want to feel this wood in your heart, now do you?" Spike's voice was coaxing.

His victim simply babbled, "N..no, kill me. Stake me, better than talking. P..pplease," he seemed to have gained some control. "Please stake me." Spike complied.

Xander immediately reacted to the situation by blustering, telling the newcomers that they could have managed without help. This just made Buffy angry. It had been all too obvious what the plans of the vampires were, and without Willow doing magic, the humans wouldn't have stood a chance.

"You stupid fools. Just how do you think you'd have managed if we hadn't come along? By now, Xander would be dead, and you three," she looked at the three women, "would be being raped or worse by that lot. You heard what they had in mind. If this is what you have to put up with in this Sunnydale, I'm just surprised the other Buffy has any friends left."

Tara was obviously shaken. "I … I know. I lost it with the chant. I heard what they were planning and I was thrown. Th..thanks for helping."

Willow looked thoughtful. "That's not normal for Sunnydale. Not every-day normal. Most days, we don't meet a vampire until we get to the cemetery and they're usually the newly risen types who don't put up much of a fight. That many experienced vampires in one group says something's changed, and I think we need to find out what."

"Yeah," Spike added. "And that thing," he motioned to the dust lying where he had left it, "was terrified. That degree of fear must be real. He was **dead** and I could feel it coming off him – vampires don't usually give off much feeling like that. I don't know who he's afraid of, but I think we should be very careful."

Having had a narrow escape, they all headed back to Buffy's. Once the Scoobies were safe, Buffy and Spike decided to head out to do some nosing around. This initially led to smart comments about her earlier refusal from Xander, but Buffy just told him to be quiet. She wondered why her other self put up with him.

Alone, they were able to move much more quietly. They saw several other groups of vampires, but since they were not actually threatening anyone when they were seen, they decided to ignore them and get to the root of the problem. After a while, they spotted a group which, Spike informed her, had already fed and was likely to be heading back to their base. They followed. When they identified the base as a large, modern warehouse, they tried walking around the building looking for an unguarded entrance. They found nothing promising. Through a fence, they saw a large loading bay with a dozen separate docks, each with lorry trailers attached. They lurked in the shadows until an hour before sunrise, checking on the numbers returning. What they saw was worrying. They had just decided to leave, when they heard some noise coming from the loading bay. It was surrounded by a solid fence, but there was a small gap near the closed gate. Spike went and peered through the gap. When he turned back, he looked ill. Buffy put her eye to the gap, but turned around, confused. "What is that?" she asked him, turning back to see Spike doubled up, stomach heaving.

When he managed to speak, he said, "You really don't want to know, love. But it might be the best source of information we'll get. We've got to get it back to your place – the basement probably. You ok to help?"

Buffy nodded. The thing looked vaguely human in shape, but if it was, there was something seriously wrong with it.


	8. Chapter 8

****

Chapter 8 – Wednesday, Alternate Reality

It was dark. Buffy struggled to consciousness to find herself tied to a stake in the ground, back to back with another figure. She knew Spike was near, and looking over her shoulder, she could just make out the pale blonde hair glinting in the little light there was. His head was still slumped to his chest. She struggled a little, trying to loosen her bonds, but knew it would take some time before she could free herself. The light was completely eclipsed as a hulking figure approached. "Don't get any ideas," he started in a remarkably sympathetic voice. "Even if you can get out of the ropes, you're pretty well surrounded. There's only one way out of here, and you don't know it. These caves have are like a maze inside."

During this, Buffy felt Spike sit upright and knew he had heard. The owner of the voice spotted this and continued, "Both back, eh? Just sit comfortably, and I'll go and get someone to talk to you."

"You ok, love?" Spike asked as the figure receded into the distance.

"Yeah, I s'pose," she replied, trying anew to loosen the ropes around her wrists.

"He's right, you know. These caves have an extensive system of tunnels. You could wander around here for weeks and not get out. So, it won't be enough to get ourselves untied, we'll have to find us a guide, too." Spike seemed to be cheered by the prospect of a little intimidation.

"Chip, remember?" Buffy sounded exasperated.

"Didn't say the guide had to be human, pet, did I?"

Buffy sighed. Spike was spoiling for a fight. She recognised the signs. He was completely unable to sit still. "Let's wait," she told him. "Let's see if we can get these people to co-operate before we start trying to kill them, shall we?"

Spike's reaction was exactly what she had expected. He made an inarticulate sound, which eloquently indicated his dissatisfaction, and slumped down as far as his bounds would allow. She knew exactly what the expression on his face would be. Thinking this, she realised she had come to know Spike so well since she had been back. She had been reluctant to share things with her friends – especially the fact that they had dragged her out of heaven. Spike hadn't been in on her resurrection, so he was the one she had told. Since then, she had come to rely on his presence in her life. She hadn't even seen any harm in that until the night they had kissed. She fought to repress the memory. As she did so, she realised Spike was wriggling against her.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Just trying to take the pressure off my back a little. I'm healing fast, but it's still uncomfortable."

Buffy tried to make sure her contact with him was minimised, although she couldn't do anything about the stake.

The next few moments passed in silence, the only light coming from a pair of torches some distance away in the cavern. When they heard footsteps, they looked up to see the demon they had seen before followed by two others – apparently human. As they approached more closely, Buffy was able to make out their faces and gasped in astonishment. She recognised both instantly. One was Jenny Callander and the other – Oz! The two sat so that both captives could see them. Taking a look, Jenny told the demon, "Go and get Chakka, please, we may need him." There was silence after this, as the two newcomers appraised the others.

Impatient as always, Spike broke the silence. "Who are you and what've you got us tied up for? We're not a threat to you."

"You may not be a threat," Jenny answered him, "but I prefer not to take chances. I have some questions which you need to answer, but I'd prefer that Chakka was present, so I'll wait." 

There was no apparent recognition of the captives by either Jenny or Oz. Buffy sighed. Her other self had really cut herself off from everyone. She struggled to understand why she had done so. Buffy watched Oz. Always inclined to the monosylabic, he said nothing. She could feel Spike starting to twitch again. She hoped something would happen soon to convince him of her course of action or she was afraid he would take matters into his own hands.

Someone else approached. He looked more or less human if you discounted the unnatural-looking fuschia of his skin. He sat on the other side of the captives from the others, his legs crossed. He looked almost as if meditating as he closed his eyes. Jenny started to speak. "Now, why don't we start with what you're doing here. A human and a vampire – not what you might call natural companions."

Buffy took a deep breath. She decided not to tell the whole story. The business of alternate dimensions seemed a little far-fetched. "We're running from the Initiative. Spike's place was bombed by them yesterday. We spent the night at my house. They arrived there this morning and we decided to run."

"That doesn't explain why you're with him. Vampires prey on humans. The demons we harbour here are not aggressive. We shed no tears that those who are a danger to humans are being killed by the Initiative. So, why?"

Buffy thought. She couldn't mention the chip. The Initiative in this dimension hadn't apparently made any attempt to control vampires, so the chip would confuse the issue. So how could she explain Spike? She didn't have to.

"Easy, pet," Spike spoke up. "Yes, I'm a vampire, I'm the Big Bad. I came to Sunnydale to kill the Slayer. I've already killed two. Problem was, this one was too strong for me. And the more I tried to kill her, the more I admired her. She's the only human who could give me a run for my money. Only one who ever has. And I fell in love with her. Yeah, I know, corny, isn't it? But it's true." He fell silent. Jenny looked towards Chakka who now opened his eyes. "Their words are, for the most part, true. They are hiding something – something I don't understand."

"You said for the most part. Is something untrue?" Jenny was abrupt.

"When the vampire said that the Slayer was stronger than he was. He does not believe that. He believes they are evenly matched."

Jenny seemed to consider this for a moment before asking, "So, what are you hiding? Is it a plan to turn us over to the Initiative or their lapdogs?"

"Bloody hell," thought Spike. "I thought I recognised his type." To Buffy he said, "He's a Truthseeker, love – he can judge the truthfulness of what you say. We might as well tell the whole story – unlikely as it seems."

And so they told the details of having awoken in this reality, which was in so many ways different from the one with which they were familiar. They told them about Spike's chip and how it prevented him from hurting humans. When they were finished, they all looked again at Chakka. He gave his verdict. "They believe in the truth of what they say. I cannot guarantee they will not be a danger to our existence here, but they have no plans to betray us, and the vampire harbours no intention to feed on humankind at present." He stood up, saying, "May I return to my other duties?"

With an impatient wave of her hand, Jenny sent him away. Oz had still to say something. He took a breath and then seemed to change his mind. Instead Jenny spoke. "So, you're the Slayer. We had heard rumours that the Slayer lived in Sunnydale, but that she had never taken her calling seriously. The story you told seems unlikely, but Chakka has verified it. Is this why the Slayer has at last decided to become involved? And, are the other rumours also true? I had heard that the Slayer of this dimension had a vampire lover, is that also true in your reality?" 

At this, Buffy blushed and Spike smiled ruefully. "No, this Buffy hasn't realised I'm the only one for her – yet." The way he said this was a downright challenge and Buffy recognised it. Oz smiled widely – the first reaction he had shown to the whole proceedings, then added, "Untie them."

Jenny looked at him, surprised. "They could be useful," he added, getting up and leaving the cavern. To the surprise of the captives, Jenny did as she was told. "Rest for now," she told them. There's a meeting in four hours. You can hear the latest news we have. We'll see if you can live up to Oz's confidence. After the meeting, someone'll show you where you can get something to eat. No blood, though," she added looking at Spike.

As the two stood up, rubbing wrists, they found they were alone in the cavern. Spike's bag had been left close by, and he went to it, checking it was as he left it. He removed a bag of blood and some snacks and something to drink for Buffy. He swallowed the blood and then shrugged off his shirt. Delving into the bag, he pulled out another smaller bag and handed it to Buffy. Inside she found some of her clothes – including some clean underwear. "Where did you get this? Have you been helping yourself from my drawers again?" She was angry and it showed in every muscle of her body.

"No, love, I was just packing some stuff I thought might be useful if we had to get away quickly. That was in the basement – looked clean. I thought you'd like some clean clothes." Spike was irritated too, now. He understood why she assumed what she did. There was a time when he did steal her clothes. But that was a long time ago. He'd changed, and he was hurt that she didn't see that. Buffy watched the emotions on her companion's face. She realised he wasn't so much angry as hurt by her lack of trust. And she was very glad of some clean clothes. "Sorry, Spike," she said, "It's just…"

He looked up at her and nodded, understanding. He turned around and she was able to see his back, which had so recently been a gory mess of burnt flesh. It was still far from healed, but it looked much better, reddened skin replacing the open flesh visible before.

Someone had left some blankets for them, and Buffy pulled one round her shoulders as she ate, then rolled herself up in it and lay, looking at the light in the cave which danced on the walls as the flames in the torches flickered. Spike was pacing. He felt an uncontrollable urge to do something – anything. Yet he knew that information was the key to acting effectively. After a while, he noticed a change in his companion's breathing and realised she was asleep. Deciding she had the right idea, he rolled himself in another blanket and lay down beside her.

They were wakened some time later by an unknown human. Buffy woke slowly, and as she stretched became aware of the presence at her back. Realising who it was, she pulled away quickly and was rewarded by an exasperated sigh from Spike. They got up and Spike pulled his shirt back on. The woman who had come in was waiting wordlessly for them. If Buffy had been told that there was a secret hideout for persecuted demons, a sort of resistance movement, she would have assumed the number of humans involved would be negligible, but here, there seemed to be a lot of humans. The woman introduced herself as Sally and told them to follow her. She held a torch aloft as they left the cavern in which Spike and Buffy had been held. The route seemed tortuous, and Buffy doubted she could find her own way back. She hoped Spike's sense of direction was better than hers. At last they emerged into a huge cavern, which unlike everywhere else they had seen, was lit by electricity. Listening closely, Buffy heard the telltale sound of a generator in the distance. The area had what passed for a meeting table in the centre. The fact that it was obviously made up from an assortment of packing cases and other rubbish made its purpose no less clear. It was surrounded by a further selection of rejects, which were obviously intended as seats. Around the walls of the room, were a variety of communications devices including computers and mobile telephones. This was so at odds with the rest of the set up that Buffy initially smiled. Realising that all this was necessary if the threat of the Initiative and their vigilantes was to be overcome, she felt an admiration for these people and demons.

As they stood, taking in their new surroundings, more had arrived. The proportion of demon to human seemed about two to one. The demons were of various shapes and sizes, and Spike kept up a running commentary in Buffy's ear with the details of each species. She was amazed. The only demons she had been familiar with were the aggressive and dangerous ones. Those assembled here, which included about a dozen species, were apparently harmless – to humans anyway. The last to arrive were Jenny and Oz. As soon as they appeared, the others made their way to the table, and the Slayer and her companion followed. Taking their seats, they waited while Jenny got up to speak.

"We have two new members in our midst. I thought it best to formally introduce them – especially since one of them is of a species not usually admitted. The woman is Buffy Summers – also known as the Slayer." There were surprised whispers around the table. "Those of you who have heard of the Slayer should know that her memories of the past do not tally with popular knowledge. The reasons for this are too involved for this meeting. The other is a vampire. He calls himself Spike, but he is also known as William the Bloody. Chakka has heard their stories and has assured me they mean no harm to our group. I therefore ask that you accord them appropriate respect." She paused, looking around the table as if waiting for objections. There were none. "Now to business. The last time we met, we had had information from a sympathiser to the effect that demon-induced death in Sunnydale was on the increase. This doesn't make sense given the current demon population of the area. Those aggressive species currently in the area could not possibly be responsible for such a death toll. Oz, you agreed to try to get confirmation of this information. How has that gone?"

"Well, I've done everything I can think of, but I think security's been increased. I'm not really much of a hacker, and I've not been able to access the systems I need."

Buffy thought this was the most she had ever heard the man say. It was so strange to have someone she considered a friend in front of her and to know that he didn't know her. As she thought about the Oz she remembered, her thoughts inevitably moved to her best friend.

"Willow!" she said, belatedly realising she had voiced the thought. Everyone at the table was looking at her. She continued, "I know someone who could do it. At least, I think she could."

Spike looked at her. "Remember, love, Willow might not want to help. She doesn't know you."

Buffy smiled. "I know, Spike, she may not know me, but I know her, and the Willow I know can't resist two things."

Spike looked at her expectantly." And what are those, pet?"

"Mocha and a really meaty challenge," Buffy replied, grinning.

"Wait," Spike added, looking at Jenny. "Why do we need Willow? You're a teacher – you teach others about computers, don't you? Couldn't you do it?"

Jenny stiffened, but ignored the question. When she spoke it was as if Spike had not. 

"Are you willing to contact this Willow? I have to warn you, although you're human, there is a good chance you're on the 'Wanted' list. If anyone knows you helped Spike to escape, you'll be almost as vulnerable as he is. We can help you to change your appearance, though." She looked at Buffy thoughtfully. "And you would have to go alone."

"Wait a minute, there," Spike interrupted. "She's not going alone. I'll be going too."

"Then neither of you will return," she told him coldly. "The vigilante groups are armed with equipment which can identify a demon from a significant distance. You will be a liability."

This silenced Spike. He took his self-imposed role as Buffy's patrol partner seriously. He knew he couldn't bear to lose her again, and therefore took the decision to always be with her when she was in danger.

"Yeah, I'll go," Buffy said, looking at Spike. The look managed to convey both an apology and irritation at the same time.

"Any more news?" Jenny asked the group. One demon raised his hand shyly. "Y..yes, I heard it just five minutes ago – I was monitoring the vigilante radio frequency. Finn's coming back. He's due later today."

This news silenced the company. The humans at the table visibly blanched. It wasn't clear what happened to the demons, but it could be assumed they did their own equivalent. They all knew that the return of Finn was likely to mean an increase in anti-demon action.

The rest of the meeting was of less significance. When it finished, Jenny took Buffy aside to discuss details of her plans. As he watched her, feeling left out, Oz came up behind him. 

"You deserve an explanation," he started, pulling the vampire to one side. "You're right, Jenny taught computing at the High School. She taught me, and Willow, for that matter. Problem is, a while ago, Jenny had a run in with Riley Finn and the rest. She had a friend – a vampire with a soul, if you can believe that. Jenny spoke up against the blanket death sentence on demons. Thy killed her friend, and took her prisoner. They did some experiments on her, apparently they were trying to prove that she was at least part demon. The result was that she lost her memory. Everything up until the day we managed to rescue her from them is gone. She didn't even know her own name. She's had to relearn everything, right down to learning to speak again. Fortunately, she doesn't remember her friend either." 

Spike looked at Oz. "This friend, went by the name of Angel?"

Oz looked surprised. "Yeah, how did…?"

"I know him. He's still alive in our reality." Spike looked sombre. "Do me a favour, don't tell Buffy? She and Angel had a thing .. you know. They're not together for various reasons, but she still cares. I'll try to find a way to tell her, if that's ok?"

Oz nodded in agreement. As an afterthought, Spike added, "How about you? How did you get involved with this lot? In our reality, you're a werewolf. Is that the reason?"

Oz looked surprised. "No, I'm not. My… my brother was. The Initiative got him. I used to lock him up for three nights every month. He never killed anyone, but that didn't matter. They killed him anyway."

The vampire nodded, understanding. He had his own score to settle with the Initiative.

Spike approached the two women who were still planning. "Hey, Spike, I'm going to have a change of hair colour, what do you think?" Buffy sounded excited, and she was trying to be conciliatory.

"I like your hair the way it is, but if it'll keep you safe…."

"Well, I don't need your permission anyway. You have no right…"

"Yeah, I know, I've got no rights where you're concerned. No right even to keep you safe. You've made that clear often enough. I've not even got the right to get you to tell me what's going on between us. Fine." He turned away, arms swinging by his sides as he strode out of the hub, but Buffy saw the hurt in his eyes before he could mask it. She sighed. She hadn't meant to hurt him, not this time, but he made her so mad. She'd kissed him once, and he wouldn't believe that she didn't want a repeat of that, much less to embark on a relationship with him.

Spike started to look around. He followed the crowd into a nearby cavern, and he soon smelled food. Joining the end of the queue, he picked up some breakfast and went to sit down. A little while later, he was joined by a couple of Jelka demons. Now, they were a strange breed. They seemed not to have individual identities. He'd never even come across one who could understand the concept of individuality. They didn't even have names. 

Spike was feeling very frustrated – in every sense of the word. He needed to do something. If he didn't, he wouldn't cope with being cooped up here. As they made short work of their platesful of what looked like a concoction made from assorted insects, Spike overheard their conversation.

"Any word on training?"

"No, they can't find anyone who wants to do it. The humans are too puny – they don't fancy teaching us to fight, and the demons here have never been inclined to violence. I suppose we'll just have to hope we never have to fight."

Spike immediately felt better. "You want to know how to fight? I'll teach you. Can't promise I won't hurt you, but you'll learn some useful tricks. Who do I speak to, to set this up?"

There was almost nothing Spike liked better than a bit of gratuitous violence. When they had finished eating, the two demons dragged him off to talk to someone else. When Buffy returned later, her hair cut short and now a rather attractive chestnut brown, Spike was nowhere to be found. She was due to leave for Sunnydale almost immediately. There was a car leaving in a few minutes to take her and a couple of others with business in town, She didn't have time to look for him, and was disappointed she couldn't see him before she went. When she realised she was disappointed, she was annoyed at herself. The whole way into Sunnydale, she berated herself for even thinking that Spike mattered. 

Once in town, Buffy made for the University Campus. As she had two days previously, she waited outside the psychology building. When Willow emerged, she was again with Xander. This time, as luck would have it, the two said goodbye on the steps of the building and Xander left. Willow started to walk away, but Buffy stopped her.

"Hey, Willow, it's me, Buffy Summers, remember? Listen, I heard you were the person to speak to about a little problem I have. Can I buy you a mocha and chat for a while? I think you'll find the problem interesting."

Willow looked intrigued. "Yeah, ok, I don't have a class just now. There's a good place fairly close, is that ok?"

Buffy agreed and followed Willow's lead. "So, you're with Xander, eh?" Buffy started to make conversation.

"Yeah, since my junior year at High School. Don't you remember? No, you probably didn't know. So, what're you doing? You enrolled here now?"

"No, I'm just visiting," Buffy replied. She didn't want to get into the whole 'other reality ' thing yet. She thought Willow might just run away.

"So, what sort of problem is it?" Willow asked.

"Computer-related," Buffy answered, hoping that this Willow was as proficient as her other self.

Willow's face lit up. "Ok, my favourite kind – so long as its nothing illegal – you know."

Buffy had forgotten. Before she became involved in Buffy's slaying activities, Willow had been a stickler for following rules. This might be a problem.

"Look, all I'm asking is that you listen. If you don't want to be involved, that'll be the end of things, ok?"

Willow looked worried and bit her lip. "I guess."

When they reached the coffee bar, Buffy bought them each a mocha and chose a couple of pastries she thought Willow would enjoy. When she sat down, both women sipped their coffee thoughtfully. After a few minutes, Buffy took the plunge.

"What do you think of the demon situation in Sunnydale?" she asked.

Willow looked surprised. "I thought this was a computer problem."

"It is, but it's related to the demon problem," Buffy replied.

"Well, back when we started High School, there started to be a lot of them around. Vampires and stuff. A lot of kids died. Then a couple of years ago, there was this government group started getting rid of them, and that's got to be good, hasn't it? I mean, there've got to be less people dying. And there're groups of people keeping the population down now."

"What if I told you that even though the demon population is lower than ever before, reported demon-related deaths are on the increase?" 

Willow shook her head. "Doesn't make sense. If demon related deaths are on the increase, there must be more demons."

"When we were at High School, did you see demons often?"

"Well, not often, but fairly regularly – we could see vampires in the street at night. We didn't go out after dark. Willow shuddered.

"And now?" Buffy persisted.

"It's been a while, I thought it was because the Initiative had done its job. Look, what did you want me to do?" Willow was getting more nervous.

"For a start, just some research for yourself. There must be records somewhere – records on demon deaths and demon-related deaths. I have a friend who has a theory that the deaths are being caused by something other than demons, and I want to find out if that's true. If you find that everything's hunky dory, then that's the end of it." 

Willow was obviously worried. "Y ..you mean hacking into computers – the police or the hospital and the Initiative. That's illegal."

"Willow, just think about it. I can't force you to do anything. But if you do find anything, you can contact me on this number." Buffy handed her the number of one of the mobile phones in the meeting room, or hub, which she was told, would be answered twenty-four hours a day. Willow hesitated for a second before she took the card. It had only the number, no other details. Putting it in her pocket, she picked up her bag and ran out of the shop. Buffy wasn't sure whether she'd persuaded her friend or not. With a sigh, she left. She had some time to spare before catching her lift back to the caves. She decided to spend it shopping – she really needed some more practical clothes – although with her available cash, she couldn't afford much.

Spike had been having fun. He was by far the smallest and lightest in the room, but none of his 'students' had the faintest idea how to fight. He'd doled out quite a few bruises, and some of them were far from happy. But he'd started letting them land a few hits, and the sense of achievement this gave them made them try harder. Spike knew he'd never make an army out of them, but they had the weight and strength to do some serious damage if they were shown how. He was glad of something to do. The news that Riley was on his way back was worrying, and that was on top of the fact that Buffy was out of his sight. He was very unhappy about that.

In Sunnydale, Buffy had made a few purchases, and had more or less run out of money. She headed to the pick up point with fifteen minutes to spare. Dropping her purchases at her feet, she watched for the expected car. She didn't notice when one occupant of a passing van gave her more than a cursory glance. And she didn't notice that the same van came back for a second look. She did notice when the van stopped at the kerb in front of her, and two men got out. It still didn't register as a threat. They came around behind her, and she felt a needle in her arm. She started to struggle as four arms snaked out to hold her, but didn't stand a chance as she saw the world go black.


	9. Chapter 9

****

Chapter 9 – Wednesday, Standard Reality

The walk back to her house was difficult, but they had to be quick, as it wasn't long until sunrise. Buffy's first impression was right. The thing they'd taken from the loading bay was vaguely human in shape – probably male – and thankfully unconscious. Her Slayer sense prickled slightly, and she didn't think it was just Spike that caused it. The creature had been tied to a pole in the middle of the loading bay. Once in the basement, they laid it on a makeshift bed of blankets. As soon as that was done, Spike disappeared into the bathroom. When she listened outside the door, she could hear him being violently sick. Whatever the thing in the basement was, it had been grossly abused. She returned and waited for Spike and his explanation. The rest of the household was still asleep. Twenty minutes later, Spike reappeared. He seemed shaky, and if anything paler than usual.

"What is it?" Buffy asked him, no longer able to wait. "And why was it tied up in the loading bay?"

Spike avoided looking at the form on the blankets. "I think it's a vampire, and that it was left there to dust when the sun came out."

"A vampire?" Buffy looked horrified. "But what happened to it?"

"There's only one thing I know could do that to a vampire," Spike replied, looking ill again. "I heard, a few years ago, about a master vampire who had found a way to keep his minions in line which was more terrifying than anything anyone else had ever tried. You know that vampires dust in sunlight – well, it's the ultraviolet that does the most damage, although other wavelengths can have the same effect in time. The story goes that this Master had someone invent some special lamps which have exactly the right balance of wavelengths and light intensity to burn the surface of the skin, but not to cause combustion. A vampire can survive weeks or months of that. It's the ultimate punishment – imagine – it must be like being boiled alive – except you're not going to die. I heard it sometimes destroys the extremities – fingers, toes, … other things. I assume this vampire is either a minion who's made his master very unhappy, or a spy from another clan. Either way, if we can bring him round, we might get some useful information."

By the time Spike was half way through the information, Buffy was looking green. The prospect of bringing the vampire round to the sort of pain he must be experiencing was horrific. 

"Is there some sort of pain relief we can give him? I mean, what works?"

"Nothing much, love," he replied, sorrowfully. "Not a circulatory system as such, and human drugs rely on the bloodstream to take the drug to the brain. Only thing I know works at all is booze. Not sure we could get him to drink, though. Maybe your friends the witches can help – it might take them to wake him anyway."

"Will he recover?" Buffy asked.

"Physically? Probably. But to look at him, he's been sunbathing for a long time. His mind's probably gone as well as his fingers, toes and …" Spike was looking green now. He took a deep breath to recover, "But, kindest thing we can do when we've finished with him would probably be to stake him."

Taking turns to sit with the vampire in the basement, Spike and Buffy ate and both had a shower. They felt soiled by their contact with the poor unfortunate. Even Buffy felt sorry for him. She was the Slayer. Even though she'd avoided taking the role seriously, there had always been vampires wanting to test their mettle against her – especially in the early days. She had dusted them, and felt no remorse for it, but this was something else altogether.

When Willow and Tara got up, Buffy filled them in on what they needed. Although Willow had agreed not to use magic, she was happy to help Tara to find something they could use. They agreed to check their books after classes and hopefully to do something that evening.

Having seen Dawn off to school, Buffy went back to the basement. Spike still looked ill. Recognising that this was his usual sleep time, she told him to go up to her bed and sleep. "I'll stay with our guest," she told him. "The curtains're closed, so you should be ok. I'll sleep later."

As he climbed the stairs, Spike didn't think he'd sleep. So he was surprised when he looked at the clock a while later to find it was after noon. He got up, pulled on his jeans and T-shirt and went downstairs. Buffy was sitting as he had left her, trying to read a book, but she didn't seem to have read much. She looked up in surprise as he entered. He apologised for startling her.

"No," she told him. "It's just, I was thinking. Whoever's responsible for this, I really want to get him."

"So do I, love," he replied. He looked at her resolute face and fell in love with her all over again. "Off you go to bed, pet," he told her. "Have a sleep. I think it'll get busy later. What's Dawn doing after school?"

"She's coming straight here," Buffy replied, dragging her thought back to the mundane, every day things that her other self had to cope with. She stood up and wearily made her way upstairs. She wondered to herself where this conscience she had, had come from. For years she had managed to overlook the damage demons did in Sunnydale – she'd even managed to ignore the evil humans did in the name of making Sunnydale demon-free. Now, she was fired up with a loathing for what- or whoever had done this – by all accounts, did this regularly – simply to maintain himself in power. She shuddered. Undressing, she tried not to think about the tortured vampire in the basement. She pulled off her trousers and top and slipped under the quilt. She inhaled deeply. She could smell Spike on the covers and that comforted her. She wished he could come up and hold her while she slept, but they couldn't leave the basement unattended.

Later that afternoon, Dawn came back from school. Spike kept up his vigil in the basement, while Buffy tried to sort out some food for later. They had agreed to try to keep Dawn from seeing what was down there. They both knew they'd be happier if they'd never seen it. When Willow and Tara returned they had good news about the spell. They had something, which would allow access to his memory, but they were hopeful, it wouldn't bring him round so he wouldn't have any physical sensation. Willow had other news. She'd checked on last night's death toll. From the police computer, she'd found that over a hundred women had died last night. Almost all showed signs of 'sexual assault'. This tallied with Buffy's estimate of the numbers she'd seen returning to the warehouse. 

The two witches went downstairs with Buffy. She had tried to warn them about the state of the creature, but both were profoundly shocked. He appeared to have no skin left anywhere and the flesh they could see was charred and livid. There was little to support Spike's use of the male pronoun when he spoke of him. Willow and Tara were both extremely pale as they set out the ingredients for the spell. When Spike heard the news of the numbers of deaths, he started pacing.

"If he's going to let them kill on that basis, they can't plan to stay for long," he reasoned. "It won't be long before they run out of food – Sunnydale's not that big a town. The rape business, that sounds like the old-fashioned type of master. I've come across a few, but they normally don't get that powerful. They keep the males and females separate. Almost as if their old human sexual morality came with them when they changed. Never met one of them that applied the rule to themselves, though. Of course, that meant that when they were let out to feed, the males were only interested in female prey – or most of them anyway."

The witches were ready. Willow smiled at Tara to encourage her to begin. There was a look in Willow's eyes, which said she was itching to do the spell herself. She kept twitching in the direction of the ingredients as Tara reached for them. When the incantation was complete, everyone turned reluctant glances to the vampire who still lay unmoving on the blankets. Tara's eyes were closed. After a moment, she opened them and looked at the others. "H..his vocal chords are too damaged to speak. I'll have to do the talking for him. It might take a few moments." She closed her eyes again. Willow was looking worried, but didn't move.

When Tara spoke again, her voice was shaky. "Ask and I will try to find the information in his memory. His recent memory is … horrible. I think he's mad."

"We need to know," Spike said, "how he came to be left outside to dust with the sunrise. Is he one of the clan which has just moved here?"

Tara's voice answered, "The information is buried. He knows he will be punished terribly for betraying his master."

"His master already left him for dead," Spike pointed out. Can't you find out?"

Tara looked puzzled. When she spoke again, she seemed to be speaking for herself. "His normal state of mind seems to be scared."

Tara continued to probe, and a moment later she gasped. Her face twisted in pain, but she mastered it and started to speak. Willow had jumped to her feet at Tara's reaction, but Buffy had stopped her from going to her. Tara spoke again. "He was taken into the clan recently. He had been with Jenna for a long time. But, she was locked up with the women, so he couldn't see her. He broke in to the women's quarters, but was caught and sent to the sunroom." Tara's face showed she was struggling for control.

"Who is this master? What clan is it?" Spike was getting impatient. Although he hadn't said anything, he had a shrewd idea who the master concerned was. If he was right, they were in trouble. "And why is the clan here?"

"D…Dominic – he's the master. Clan moved here. Master has some plan. Doesn't know what. Just that whole clan came here. Long time. New rules when they arrive. No more killing prey. Farming."

At that point, Tara fell out of the chair she had been sitting in. This time, Buffy didn't stop Willow as she rushed to her side. "Tara, baby, are you ok? Speak to me, please." 

Tara's eyelids fluttered. Weakly she nodded her head, then whispered, "Didn't feel his pain, felt his fear. So hard to control. Can't do it again."

The others didn't notice Buffy creep upstairs. When she returned, she had a stake in her hand. She calmly walked up to their guest and pushed the stake into his heart. When the dust had all dispersed, she looked at Spike. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at her. "Thanks, love," was all he said.

None of them felt like talking. With Buffy's help, Willow took Tara upstairs. When she went into her own room, Buffy found Spike waiting for her. He was sitting on her bed, with his head down. She sat beside him and he immediately enfolded her in his arms. They sat like that for a while, just taking comfort from the contact. When he broke the silence, Spike said, "Patrolling tonight?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, not tonight. Tonight, we plan how to take out that warehouse. Killing a few of them isn't enough. We've got to take out the whole clan. Quickly." She thought over what they'd learned, and remembered something. "Tara mentioned farming. What did that mean?"

Spike smiled ruefully. "It means he knows he'll run out of food soon in this town if they carry on like last night. It means they'll be taking humans alive and keeping them alive. Probably even breeding from them. The idea is to farm humans for blood, love."

About an hour later, Xander and Anya arrived. Willow had obviously told them what had happened. Buffy was surprised. When she was first called to be the Slayer, it was made clear that the job required a more or less solitary lifestyle. She had rejected the whole thing – had simply decided that the demands were too much. She had then found it incredibly hard to make friends. There was something about her, something she couldn't tell anyone about, that people shied away from. Until Spike came along, she had a life full of acquaintances, but no real friends. Then, when her mother had died, she had been so alone. She already loved him then – in fact, she'd never have survived that period of her life without him. He had kept her sane and had given her a reason to carry on. It had seemed natural that Spike move into her life completely. Her other self had had a very different experience. She had embraced the whole Slayer thing, but she had made friends. She had friends who assumed they were part of whatever was causing her a problem. She was trying to come to terms with sharing her home with Willow and Tara, but Xander and Anya were largely unknown. Yet, here they were, ready and willing to help with whatever plan Buffy thought best. She wasn't used to being part of a team. Yet, she was surprised how relaxed everything was. They sat in her lounge, munching some nibbles and discussing the possibilities.

"If there're a lot of them in one place," Buffy started, "something like the Initiative use would be good – but I don't know how we'd get hold of enough explosives to blow up that warehouse."

"Wait, love," Spike interjected, "Remember what our friend downstairs said. He's going into farming. We need to make sure there're no humans in the building before we do anything drastic."

Buffy looked at him, remembering the earlier events in the basement. She could see the pain in his eyes. "Yeah, I forgot. We need to either move before he starts 'farming' or we need a way to release the prisoners first."

Xander spoke up. He seemed eager to prove he could do something – almost as if he had to prove himself to this new Buffy. "If we can use explosives, I can help. I know you don't remember this, but a while back, there was this spell in Sunnydale. Anyone who hired their Halloween costumes from a certain store, became the thing they were dressed as. Willow became a ghost, you became a crinoline lady, and I became a soldier. We used that to get hold of some major firepower before. I could probably do it again. I can even remember how to use it."

"Ok," Buffy answered. "Don't do anything yet, but if you could, you know, plan something, that'd be good. Let me know if you need my help." 

After that, the meeting became more like a friendly gathering. Buffy found herself enjoying the companionship of these strangers. They had accepted her without question, even though they knew she was not their friend. She was uncomfortable with the fact that they hadn't accepted Spike. Looking at him, it was obvious he was wary of spending time with so many humans. She knew how hard it was for him to control his demon, yet he had been so successful since he had started to share her life, that she often forgot what a struggle it was. Yet, in their own reality, she was the only human he spent a lot of time with. And she knew he would never do anything to hurt her. But now, he was sitting in a room, surrounded by what his demon considered food. He looked tense, but he was coping. She just hoped it wasn't costing him too much to do so.

Later that night, Buffy and Spike snuggled together in her bed. After the horrors of earlier, it was enough to be close and to know the other was safe. Neither wanted any more. 


	10. Chapter 10

****

Chapter 10 – Late Wednesday and Thursday, Alternative Reality

"What do you mean, she got picked up by the Initiative?" Spike was livid. The car which was supposed to have picked Buffy up after her trip to Sunnydale had returned without her.

The man who had had the job of driving the van paled visibly under Spike's threatening gaze. He knew all about vampires, and the information that Spike wasn't a threat to the resistance movement suddenly seemed suspect.

"I … I mean, she was waiting at the pick up point. There was a van five or six cars ahead. We saw it pull up and two men got out. Next thing we saw, she was being bundled into the back. We followed, and the van headed for the old Initiative headquarters. It's been quiet there lately. The vigilantes don't have access – well not many of them."

Oz had come to hear the news first hand. He laid a hand on Spike's shoulder to try to calm him, but Spike shrugged it off. He was pacing again, all the good the afternoon's training had done him evaporated as soon as he heard Buffy had been taken. 

"I thought she was having her hair dyed or something. She was supposed to have some sort of disguise. How did they know her?"

"Maybe they didn't know her. Maybe someone overheard her conversation with Willow. Or maybe someone in that van knew her well enough to see through the disguise," Oz rationalised.

The moment he said those words, both he and Spike uttered a single word.

"Finn!"

Buffy's first thought was that she was lying somewhere soft. That didn't tally with her recent memories. She'd spent the previous night on the floor of a cave. The next thought was that she couldn't move. Cautiously, she opened her eyes. She was in a small, brightly lit room. Her arms and legs were strapped to the bed. She tried pulling at her restraints but couldn't find any weakness. She tried to remember what had happened. It was difficult at first, but the memory slowly came back. Waiting at the kerbside. Two men. A pain in her arm, then darkness. She heard a whirring sound and a door slid open. "That reminds me of something," Buffy thought to herself. "The Initiative headquarters" she realised, feeling her stomach clench in concern. This wasn't good. Through the now open door, two men entered. The one in the lead was wearing a white coat and he approached, taking her wrist to check her pulse. "She's fine," he pronounced.

"Good, now leave," the second man said. That voice, she would know it anywhere. "Switch off the surveillance in this room when you leave," he added.

Riley. Buffy struggled to remember the details of her other self's history with him. In this reality, she had already been involved with Spike when she met Riley first asked her out, and she had rejected him. The other Spike had thought this was why Riley was so keen to rid Sunnydale of demons. Unsure what to do, she tried being conciliatory.

"Hello, Riley," she said.

"Buffy, I heard you were back in good old Sunnydale. That's why I came back. I recognised you right away. Did you think some dye and a haircut would fool me? So, tell me, where's that evil soulless monster you used to hang about with? Did he dump you, or did you finally get tired of necrophilia? I've got some very special treats in store for him. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you yet. It really depends on you."

All the time he was speaking, he had been looking her up and down. She felt dirty under his gaze. It reminded her of the way Spike used to look at her, before he decided to fall in love with her. She started to pull at her bonds, but this caused him to smile.

"You won't break them, Buffy. Even with your super-human strength. They were designed to hold all manner of demons. You're tied there until I decide to release you. He sat down on the bed next to her. One hand was on the other side of her and supported his weight as he leaned over her. His other hand ran the length of her body, feeling his way down, as if he was valuing a horse. Buffy was seething. In her reality, she and Riley hadn't parted on good terms, and she'd been sickened when she saw him allowing vampires to feed on him. But what she felt now was almost overpowering. She felt total revulsion and anger. She struggled harder, but got nowhere. The only result was a widening of Riley's smile.

He put his mouth close to her ear, and whispered, "I know a lot more about vampires than I did last time I saw you. Then all I knew was how to kill them. Now I know about how they live. What they do in bed. I'm pretty sure I can do anything your vampire lover can do, and I can definitely do some things he can't. He leered at her, his hand lingering between her legs.

When he pulled back, she told him, "Yeah, I can see you've changed. You used to be human. Now, Spike's more human than you'll ever be."

His answer was a slap to her face which left her stinging, and when she licked her lip, she realised she was bleeding.

"Oh, dear," he said, "I seem to have split your lip. Still, Slayer healing power will soon have you pretty as ever. And I'm sure your Spike has done much worse in your moments of passion. I bet you're even turned on by it."

"There's nothing you could do that'd turn me on," Buffy spat back.

Riley stood up, anger showing in the tenseness of every muscle. "You'll either change your mind, or you'll be very sorry," he said. He left the room, and Buffy felt tears form in her eyes. They weren't caused by the pain from her face or lip – she'd felt much worse. They were tears of her anger. Somehow, Riley obviously thought her other self was with Spike only because of the sexual side of the relationship. She knew that wasn't the case. She'd read her diaries. She really loved the blonde vampire. She had been willing to give up any pretence at a normal life to be with him. And, despite everything this reality had thrown at them, they had been happy.

Back at the resistance headquarters, Spike desperately wanted to hit something. When he had heard about Buffy, all he wanted to do was go and rescue her. He didn't have a plan beyond hitting anything that got in his way. He'd have gone, too, if he had been able to find his way out of the system of caves. Oz sat and watched him while he raged. He said nothing for a long time. When he sensed that Spike's first wave of anger was dissipating slightly, he led the vampire to the cavern where he'd spent the previous night. "Get some sleep, Spike. We'll find a way to get her back. We did it for Jenny. She's strong, she'll be fine."

When he was alone, Spike dissipated his anger further by bellowing at the top of his voice, "Be afraid, Riley Finn. You hurt a single hair on her head, and you're a dead man." To himself he added, "Even if it does make my head explode."

When Oz returned to the meeting room, he was told that Willow had called. Taking a note of her number, he called back.

"Hello," he started. "I know you wanted to speak to Buffy. She can't take the call just now, but if you've got some information, you can tell me."

"Oh," Willow sounded unsure. "I'd really rather talk to Buffy. I mean how do I know you can trust you?"

"That's a good point," Oz conceded. "I'm not sure what I can do to reassure you, but I do know what she asked you to do. You were going to try to find out what you could about demon-related deaths. Whether they were still increasing even though demon numbers are at an all time low."

There was a long silence, then Willow answered, "I suppose. Ok. Listen. Buffy was right. Reports of demon related deaths are on the increase. And I managed to hack into the system used by the vigilante groups. They confirm they're only mopping up stragglers. There's something strange going on."

"Thanks, Willow, that's useful. Any hint why people are dying?"

"No, not really, but, there's something strange. The victims are being kept in the mortuary longer than usual. I looked at historical data, and things have been slow lately. Look, is there anything else I can do? I mean, if you think of anything, you've got my number."

"Yes, we'll call you if something comes up, and if we find out what's happening. Thanks again."

The only person Buffy had seen since Riley left, was a woman who came in and allowed her to relieve herself into a bedpan. After this, she was given a drink of some type with a straw to allow her to drink while lying down. Buffy thought about refusing, but realised that she needed to stay strong in case the opportunity arose to escape. There was a camera on the ceiling, and Buffy knew she could do nothing without being observed. As unobtrusively as she could, Buffy continued to work at the straps that restrained her – not violent movements, just tensing and relaxing her muscles. She hoped it would be enough.

Her attempts to loosen her bonds had been reported. When Finn had listened to the report, he called the base doctor.

"The subject in the special holding cell, she's trying to escape. You know what I told you about her, she's a danger to anyone who had to go in there. What's the normal treatment for demons we need to have contact with?"

"Well," the doctor started, "There is a drug we use. It comes from England, and it affects the way the muscles work. Basic function is retained, but strength is significantly reduced. It would be easier to estimate the dosage if you would tell me what type of demon she is. She looks so human."

"She does, doesn't she?" Riley was smiling into the phone. "You'll just have to estimate. I'd be surprised if you could overdose her. Her strength's quite impressive, and she's got very fast recovery. Just try the same as you'd use for a…. Jelka."

"A Jelka? But they're…" He didn't get the chance to finish.

"Huge, I know. But they're not aggressive, she is. Now, do as I suggest, or I'll get you transferred to whatever hellhole has the next demon crisis. Understand?"

The doctor stuttered his agreement, and went off to do as he had been ordered.

When he had left Buffy, Riley had been angry. He hadn't really expected her to fall into his arms, but he did think she would have gone off the idea of sleeping with her vampire. He knew all about their stamina and staying power, and he understood that could seem good at first, but he really believed she would be more amenable to him than before. Especially now he was pretty much a match for vampires in terms of strength. That 'vitamin' routine set up by the Initiative was really useful. Instead, she had said he was less human than the vampire – the slut. Still, he'd show her, sooner or later. He'd show her what he could do. Maybe even tonight. He could slip into the room, camera switched off – no leave the camera on, but take the tape to look at later – maybe even to show Spike later. Show him how she was with a real human man. Yes, that's what he'd do. He'd just make sure the doctor had followed orders. It would be good to have her all weak and kitteny.

As he planned exactly what he was going to do to her, the phone rang. The operator told him it was from Red Cross – the code name for the benefactor who had allowed him to almost wipe out demons from Sunnydale.

"Good evening, Finn," the voice was slightly nasal.

"Good evening," Riley replied. "Thanks for your recent payment. We're on schedule to complete the eradication of demons in Sunnydale, thanks to your kind donations."

"Are you, are you indeed? Then, perhaps you can tell me why someone has been hacking into computers in this town, obtaining some very sensitive information. The hacker was good, too. Left no trace. I believe the resistance movement is still active, and I want it closed down. And I want it closed down immediately."

The click told Riley that Red Cross had hung up. Reluctantly, Riley put aside his plans for Buffy. He had to find a way into the resistance. For a second he wondered if Buffy might know something, but rejected the thought immediately. The 'Slayer' made a point of not getting involved in these things. She'd have to have changed a lot to be involved with the resistance. She'd have to be a different girl altogether. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – Thursday, Standard Reality**

The next morning started in the routine which was becoming familiar to Buffy. She got up and made sure her sister got off to school. Spike was sleeping. He got up again after she went to sleep and had gone out for a prowl', as he called it. He did his best to keep out of sight of the newcomers, but had found a couple of demon bars where he had discretely asked some questions. He hadn't learned anything new, but had had some confirmation of what he suspected.

Having dispensed with the round of morning chores, Buffy found herself reading the local newspaper. She hadn't expected anything pertaining to the new vampire problem to be covered there – even in her own reality it tended not to report that sort of thing, so she was surprised when she saw the lead story. That made it clear that a number of people had disappeared the previous night. The number was low – Buffy suspected that was because a lot of disappearances were not reported when the paper went to press. The reason for the report, was that the daughter of the newspaper's manager – a sixteen-year-old girl – was one of those who had gone. Sarah Meddows had been working on a project at school. It was after hours, but she and some friends had permission to stay late and finish. But when her father went to collect her, he had found the school deserted. The three students, one teacher and the caretaker who should have been there, were all gone. There was evidence of a struggle.

At the warehouse, Dominic was surveying his farm. He had sent most of his host out of town last night to bring back some stock from further afield. The others had hunted locally. He now had just over a hundred captives. They were held in pens and were all lying on crude beds. At present, there were four to a pen, but that would change. The basement almost had a hospital atmosphere as all the captives were on beds with drips in their arms. They had all been partially drained last night, and were on intravenous iron. Dominic had made a point of turning a number of doctors and their job was to keep the stock healthy. As he toured, he pointed out a number of females to his attendant, the doctor in charge of his stock. These were the ones who would shortly be spared from providing blood for his clan. These were the ones who would produce the next generation.

Sarah gradually regained consciousness. She felt dizzy and ill, and she was struggling to think clearly. Slowly, her brain began to function again, but she felt she was being very slow. As she struggled to understand why her mind was so sluggish, she remembered. Two creatures had broken into the school. She was in the Science lab with her friends Sue and Michael and Mrs. Broadman, her teacher. They had tried to run, but one of the intruders had hit her on the head, and she remembered nothing else. She tried to touch her head, but found her arms were bound. Sensation slowly returned and she realised she had a headache, but she was surprised to find her arm was even more painful. Looking around, she saw there was a drip in her arm – as if she was in hospital – but this was the strangest hospital she had ever seen – and they don't normally strap you into your beds when you get a bump on the head. As she looked around, she was gradually able to focus on the other beds in her pen. She recognised Sue's dark brown hair and terrified eyes to her right. When she looked the other way, she saw ginger-haired Michael looking at her from an adjacent pen. She felt panic rising within her, and she started to scream, but the pain in her head soon silenced her.

Buffy read the newspaper article, and knew it was already too late to wipe out the vampire lair without harming humans. She had to think of a way to release the prisoners.

When the others returned from school, Willow went straight to her computer. When she had checked her usual sources, she looked glum. "Thirty-four disappearances in Sunnydale last night. No bodies. And it's not just Sunnydale, four other towns around here report significant numbers of disappearances too. No apparent pattern, except that they seem to prefer them fairly young – most are in their late teens or twenties."

Spike nodded as if this was exactly what he had expected. "Breeding stock," he confirmed. 

When it was dark, Buffy and Spike went out together. They had no real plan, and knew they could not pose a serious challenge to Dominic's clan, but they both felt they had to do something. They stuck to the cemeteries, hoping to at least keep the numbers of newly risen vampires under control. They found a few, but they only provided a gentle work out.

Across town, a group of vampires stepped out of a large van. It was one of a fleet of vans and lorries that Dominic had obtained to help him transport his clan from its various locations to Sunnydale. More recently they had been used to bring in much of what he needed for his new enterprise, and they would continue to be used to keep the warehouse supplied with everything he needed for his stock. From the outside, they all looked normal. There were differences on the inside, however. Some were little more than cattle trucks. Others were quite comfortable. One was the last word in luxury, but that was not the one they used. Dominic had arrived with twelve of his clan. These were his elite fighters – his personal bodyguard. They formed a tight group around their master as they entered the remnants of the building. What had previously been Sunnydale High School, was now a derelict ruin. Dominic unerringly directed his guards through the rubble. He felt the direction of the Hellmouth drawing him closer as if he were a compass needle being drawn to north. Arriving in what used to be the library, he approached a hole in the floor. He pointed to his minions and they understood that he intended to go down. Some were to stay above and prevent interruptions. Two were to accompany their master. One by one, the three jumped through the floor and landed on the ground below. 

It looked as if it had been a basement room. Dominic gestured to his two companions to remain close to the exit. Alone, he approached the largest pile of rubble in a corner of the room. He pulled a small box out of a pocket in his coat and opened it. Inside was a jewel. It was a beautiful cerulean blue and had been cut into an intricate shape. Beside the stone, was a small leather pouch. Taking both from the box, he placed the box on the largest piece of rubble in the area, which was fortunately placed exactly to act as a table. On the box, he put the stone. Taking the bag in his hand, he tipped some powder out of it into the palm of his hand. Pouring the powder over the stone, he began to intone his request.

"Keeper of the portal, hear me. I crave an audience with Zabrok, holder of the power of invulnerability." 

As he spoke, the jewel started to glow, the light a blinding blue. When there was no response from the Hellmouth, Dominic tried again. He was, after all, not used to being ignored.

"Keeper of the portal, I will speak with Zabrok."

This time, the ground shook slightly. When there was no further response, Dominic shook with rage. Mastering it, he tried again.

"Keeper of the portal, I have the jewel of Abrokat, and I will speak with Zabrok. Now."

This time, the shaking was much more severe. When it subsided, a voice was heard emanating from the Hellmouth.

"Who dares call me?"

Dominic relaxed a little. Taking a breath, he said, "I am Dominic. I am holder of the jewel of Abrokat. I have come to ask the terms which will permit me to achieve invulnerability."

There was silence for a few seconds. 

"Do you understand what you risk, vampire?" The voice was filled with menace.

"I risk the end of my existence if I fail. I will not," Dominic replied.

"The risk is not the end of your existence. Whether or not you achieve your task, you will be truly immortal. If you succeed, you may remain where you are. If you fail, you become my plaything – for eternity." 

The voice almost sounded eager. The owner obviously wanted a new plaything.

Dominic was momentarily unsure. This was not the deal he had heard about when he had come across the stone. But he could not back down now. Apart from the effort he had put into bringing the clan here, two of his minions would hear him back down. And while he could easily have them disposed of, they were useful to him. No, he would listen to the terms. He had been searching for over a century for something which would make him truly invulnerable. Now it was within his grasp.

"What must I do?"

"Simple," replied the entity. "You must turn the Slayer. There can be no witnesses to this. She must be drained here, before the next new moon, so that I can perceive her fear. You must achieve this, seven times. There will be no more than two moons between each event. They must all be of the same line – the one currently occupied by one Buffy Summers." 

"I agree the terms," he told the unseen entity.

Returning to the warehouse, Dominic thought he had done well. The first part of his plan would be complete within a year. And just how difficult could these Slayers be? The current one might be a challenge, she had been around for a while. But she had died before, and if she were turned, there would be no coming back. And after she was gone, the others would be recently called. They would present no problem at all. The only slight concern was the fact that there were to be no witnesses. That meant he would be on his own. He had relied on his minions for a long time, but he was sure he still had it in him. He had always been able to control humans, just so long as there was contact. After all, there was nothing to say what state the Slayer had to be in when he took her to the Hellmouth. 

Spike and Buffy were on their way back from patrol when they felt the first tremor. They looked at each other. They had both experienced tremors before. Sometimes they were simply part of life in California. Sometimes they were more part of life in Sunnydale. They were still wondering which it was when the second tremor hit. This time, they increased their pace. Both had a premonition that things were getting ready to boil over.


	12. Chapter 12

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**Chapter 12 – Friday/Early Saturday, Alternate Reality**

It was late, some time after midnight, when the doctor returned and gave Buffy another injection. After that she slept. While she slept, a yellowish gas emerged from the light fitting above her bed. Half an hour later, she was wakened by a visitor. He was tall and slim, with greying dark hair and brown eyes. He was the sort of man you know immediately has a military background. As she lay, still strapped to her bed, he pulled her head off the pillow and snapped a metal collar round her neck. 

"In a moment, Miss Summers," he said, "I'm going to release you from your restraints. But first, a little demonstration is in order." 

Having said that, he took a small version of the collar she now wore and threw it towards the open door. There was an instant sizzling sound, and the collar fell just inside the doorway. "The collar will not allow you to leave this room. If you attempt to leave, you will find the attempt extremely painful. I'm not sure how many attempts you could survive, the current record is three, I believe." 

Having said that, he unstrapped her wrists and ankles, freeing her from the bed. As soon as her limbs were freed, she pounced on him, kicking with every ounce of strength. At least that was the plan. What actually happened was that he caught her wrists in his hands and pushed her back onto the bed roughly. He pointed to a doorway in the corner of the room saying, "There are toilet facilities in there. Someone will bring you breakfast shortly, and afterwards someone will bring you some clean clothes. Mr. Finn has expressed a specific interest in you, and so you will be kept comfortable. He asked me to express his regret at not completing his business with you, but he has been called away."

Buffy couldn't understand what had happened. She'd never met a human who could resist an attack like that – not even Riley when he was all super-pumped by the concoction the Initiative had been giving him – the so-called 'vitamin supplements'. Then she realised. It wasn't him, it was her. Somehow, they'd taken her Slayer strength. And there was only one way she knew that could be done. The Council of Watchers had something that could do it. She'd been dosed with it so they could assess her when she was eighteen.

She spent futile minutes pulling at the collar round her neck. She couldn't even feel a join in the apparently perfect circle.

The morning was no better for Spike. He had slept badly. He never slept well during the night, but he had been keeping human hours lately, so it shouldn't have been a problem. All night long, he had pictured the Slayer, worrying about what Riley was doing with her. He didn't know what he feared most. He was afraid that this Riley was just the same as the one he was familiar with, and that Buffy would decide to be with him. Logically, the other possibility was worse, he knew that. If what he had heard of the Riley of this reality was true, he was bitter and single-minded. The others in the Resistance certainly believed him capable of hurting Buffy. Still, the positive feature of a night spent alternately tossing and turning and then pacing the cavern which seemed to be his quarters, was that he had done some serious thinking. And although he had no answers, he had some questions. 

In the morning he was able to find his own way to the meeting room. When he got there, there was no sign of Oz. He did see Jenny – for the first time since he had put his foot in it' with her. Still, Buffy's safety was at stake, so he approached her as she looked at a computer screen where someone was showing her something. He must have approached quietly, because when she turned around and saw him, she jumped. In many ways, it did Spike's demon good to see that some humans still found him an object of fear. On the other hand, frightening the woman wouldn't get him any answers.

"Sorry, pet, didn't mean to startle you." His tone was as conciliatory as possible after a night of frantic worry.

Realising his mood, she relaxed slightly and answered in kind. "I'm fine, don't worry. No more news on Buffy, I'm afraid. We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything." This vampire was an enigma to Jenny. She had been told her history. She knew that she had lost a friend in the early days of the Initiative, and that the friend had been a vampire. He was one of a kind, because he had had a soul. She couldn't remember him. Sometimes the knowledge of her past, which had been returned to her by well-meaning friends, was a millstone around her neck. It would almost have been better to have considered herself born the day she was rescued. She knew vampires were normally predators. To them, the human race was just a food supply. Yet she had had one as a friend, and here was another. This one was unsouled, yet he obviously cared about this young woman. His care for her was etched on every muscle in his face. She tried to turn away from him. She had seen too much loss, and didn't want to see his too, but he put out an arm to stop her. 

"Thing is, I want to help. But, what's stopping me helping is those electronic gizmos the Initiative uses to sniff out demons. How do they work? Can I do anything to get around them? I can't just hang around here, training your demons to fight. I've got to **do** something."

She had bristled when he touched her, his hand cold on her arm. She softened a little, but didn't have any hope to offer him. "Sorry, we don't know how they work. We got hold of one, but we couldn't work out what it measures. We just don't have anyone with that sort of expertise."

Spike smiled. "You might just have, at that. No, not me," he quickly proffered, seeing the look on her face. "Remember Buffy's friend Willow?"

"The hacker?" she asked, confused.

"The same. Also good with electronics and I've even seen her whipping up a storm in a chemistry lab. I'll bet she could help."

Jenny looked thoughtful. She was reluctant to involve others in the Resistance. Security was a major problem as it was. "I'll talk to Oz," she replied. "See what he thinks."

Realising that was the best he was going to get, Spike said nothing else. He could always corner Oz later anyway. He headed off to his cavern for some blood. Looking at his rapidly dwindling supply, he realised he was going to have to do something soon anyway. "Still," he thought to himself, "at least the temperature in here is low enough it should last for a few days."

Willow had been worried since she had passed her information to the Resistance. She was worried for her own safety, but she was also worried about what was going on in her town. She'd had an idea during the night, and approached someone after class next day. Jack was a bit of an oddity. He was clever – but always seemed remote. She'd heard that he had an unusual after-school job – at the local hospital. He cleaned in the mortuary. It was one of the main reasons other students avoided him. Willow tried to get him chatting by using the method that always seemed to work. She asked for help on some chemistry. Willow didn't really need help, but it seemed a good place to start. Once they started to talk, Jack actually seemed quite friendly. She had told Xander what she was planning and he was sitting on the other side of the room sulking. He didn't want her involved with any of this, and he certainly didn't want her chatting up someone else. The conversation moved from Chemistry to his job. Willow expressed an interest she didn't really feel in seeing round the place. To her delight, Jack offered to sneak her in later that afternoon. They agreed she would come to the hospital half an hour after his shift started – at 5 o'clock.

Spike's training session was cut short that afternoon. He had broken a few bones – not his own. He was like a coiled spring. His demon was raging to be let loose on whatever was threatening Buffy. He returned to the meeting room and paced around there. At least he was on the spot if some news came in.

Riley had had a mixed day. They had wiped out a few remaining pockets of demons in Sunnydale. He was frustrated, because there weren't many of them and they hadn't put up much of a fight. They also didn't have any information on Spike. He was quite sure of that. They'd all have told him anything before they died. His methods of interrogation had improved immensely of late. "Maybe," he realised, "I need to reconsider. If I can't find Spike but he's around somewhere, he must have hooked up with the resistance. And if he has, Buffy must know something. Unless she's already learned her lesson and left him. But no, she'd never have compared me unfavourably with him if they weren't still together." That memory still rankled with him. The unfairness of it made his blood boil.

Still, he thought, there were still a few hours of light left, and what he had in mind for the Slayer was more appropriate for the night. He widened the search area to include further outside Sunnydale and hoped they would find something.

It was six-thirty when the call came in. Spike's sensitive hearing allowed him to home into the call immediately. He rushed to the person taking the call just in time to see them end it. "Who wanted to speak to Buffy?" he growled, his aggression only barely under control

"I..it was someone called Willow. I have to get Oz – it might be important."

As soon as the small demon had gone to find Oz, Spike picked up the phone and did a last number redial. It failed. He was about to lose control completely, when Oz appeared, smiling that little smile of his and taking the phone from the vampire's hand. 

"Spike, I'll talk to her. I've been trying to get her all day anyway."

When she answered, she wanted to speak to Buffy. Again she was told that Buffy was unavailable. "It's just, I've done some more research. I checked the morgue numbers of some of the supposed demon kills. Then I got a friend to let me in to have a look. Thing is, all the bodies I looked at – they weren't demon kills – not unless demons have started opening people up and then stitching them back together again. I'm not an expert at anatomy, but my guess is they've been used for organ transplants – the stitch lines suggest heart, lungs and kidneys are gone."

Oz had been silent throughout. He had known Willow slightly at school even though she had been a year younger. Now he was silent in admiration. She had found the key to the whole operation – she must be right. Breaking the silence, he said, "Willow, I really appreciate this. Your information is very important. But, there is one other thing you may be able to help with. I have a piece of electronic equipment. It's supposed to sniff out demons, but we need to know how it works. Can you help?"

Willow was obviously nervous. "I..I might. Where is it?"

"Can I come and bring it to you? I'll need to know where you live."

"Y..yes," she replied, "I'll tell you. But, I'd rather Buffy came. Can you send her please?"

"Sorry, I can't. You see, Buffy was taken by the Initiative. I'm sorry,"

An hour later, Oz pulled up outside the University dormitory where Willow lived. When she came down, she took him to a lab, which she had permission to use out of hours. She worked feverishly, connecting various parts of the device's circuit board to a variety of output devices. After two hours, she had her answer. "When they say it sniffs them out, they're right. Looking at what's been set up, it collects a complex organic molecule. There's still some in the collector. I can do a chemical analysis, but from its complexity, I'd guess you're looking at some sort of pheromone. I'll get the ok to use the chemistry lab tomorrow and find out."

Oz was pleased, but knew tomorrow might not be soon enough. He had already heard that the main sniffer vans' were getting close to the caves. He hoped that the rock surrounding their hideout would mask the scent, but he couldn't be sure. "Can't you do something tonight? I'm afraid tomorrow would be too late."

"I..I suppose," Willow stuttered uncertainly.

Following Willow's instructions, Oz broke into the Chemistry building. She made for a lab and started to work. Oz helped when he could, but the science was above his head. He watched in amazement as Willow performed procedure after procedure. By about 4am, she had some news. 

"I've done what I can. A full analysis of this would take weeks. But I know which chemical groups trigger the detector. If we can find something with the same groups, something harmless, we could maybe fool the detectors. We can't hide the true signal. Pheromones are always present – there's no way to get rid of them completely. What we might be able to do, is give them so many false positives, that they lose faith in the detectors. How does that sound?"

Oz smiled at the red-haired woman in front of him. She was absolutely amazing. He didn't know how he'd gone through High School without really getting to know her.

"That sounds ideal – but is there something we can use?

"Let me see," she said, heading for the bookshelf in the corner.

Two hours of intensive research later, she had found three chemicals which fit the bill in terms of their interaction with the detector. One she ruled out because if was considered carcinogenic. The second was ruled out because it was really hard to synthesise, and would cost a fortune to buy. On the third, she hit jackpot. It was harmless, and it was a standard laboratory reagent. There would be gallons of the stuff in the chemical store, and parts per million in the atmosphere would be enough to trigger the detector. With one last spot of breaking and entering, Willow and Oz left the building and loaded their booty into Oz's van.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 – Friday, Standard Reality**

Next morning, Buffy was thinking. As was their habit, she and Spike had gone to bed together, but after she was asleep, he had gone out. He returned before sunrise and then slept the morning away. She had an idea of how to rescue the captive humans, but she knew Spike wouldn't like it. She also knew her idea would need a lot of work. From what she understood, the sun lamp used by this Dominic to torture errant minions, would be harmless to humans. Therefore they had to find a way to get lights like these into the warehouse – at the least into the area where the humans were being held. Then it would be possible to arrange their rescue. If it were done during daylight, the effect would be better, as there would be no escape. That would be the time to blow up the warehouse. She knew Spike wouldn't agree mainly because it would mean minimal involvement for him. He would take that hard. But the major obstacle to be overcome first was finding one of those lamps. They could steal one from the warehouse, but that sounded extremely difficult. The other possibility was that they could make their own. She decided to speak to the rest of her team and see if they had any ideas. 

At their flat, Xander had been berating Anya with his thoughts about Buffy's relationship with Spike. He had always had a big problem with Spike – even when he was chipped and only admitted to the gang when he was needed. Now, he felt sick when he thought about how his friend had debased herself. Imagining her with Spike tore at his gut. It made him cringe and boil over at the same time. Whatever he did, he had to put an end to it, before she went back to her own reality.

Dominic had returned from his visit to the Hellmouth thoughtful. His first step was to capture the Slayer. He had heard rumours around the town. She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to have countered numerous others before him. Believing all of that to be the rantings of the dregs of the vampire species, he planned to snatch her that night. The information he had, said that she patrolled most evenings – sometimes alone, sometimes with other humans and sometimes with a renegade vampire. He found that intriguing. He couldn't imagine why a vampire would ally himself with his sworn enemy. There were a number of theories around town as to why this was the case, some more fanciful than others. One said that he had a soul. Another said that he had been restrained in some way, and could no longer hurt humankind, and that the Slayer protected him in return for his help against his own kind. 

To Dominic, these all seemed preposterous. It had to be said, that his knowledge of human culture was limited to his own human experience. Since he was turned, he had spent no time among humans except when feeding. He didn't have much idea when it came to the modern world, but relied on his minions. There were several among his clan who understood things well. They advised him to obtain expertise as necessary. 

Buffy had outlined her plan to Willow who agreed that it had possibilities, but that it had a lot of holes in it at the moment. She suggested calling Giles in London to see if the Council could shed some light on the type of light needed to have the desired effect. Unfortunately, Giles was unable to help. He agreed to do some research, but didn't hold out much hope. The books available to him ranged from very old to ancient, and he doubted that they would have such information.

Buffy was right. When she told Spike what she wanted to do, he wasn't pleased. Had she suggested storming the warehouse during the night, he would have been right there, even if there were no chance of success. She knew that. What she had in mind gave him no role, and he wasn't about to accept that. "Look, love, it won't work. You'd never get in there to steal one of those lamps. If you were lucky, you'd end up part of the farm stock. How many times lately have I had a problem? When the Initiative was after me. But you were always there, we always got through together. We'll beat this the same way, but I won't let you leave me out. Even if you have got all these shiny new friends."

The reaction wasn't quite what she expected. She'd expected disapproval, maybe even anger, but there was something else here. It was as if he was suddenly unsure of his place in her life. Almost like jealousy. She looked at him closely, remembering their past. He had always had that arrogant, confident exterior. When she first met him, she hadn't liked him. Well, he had tried to kill her, so that was understandable. Then, she kept spotting him around. He never approached her, and she had left well alone. 

After a while, he would try to talk to her. At first, she ignored him, but her own need for friendship gradually overcame her misgivings. He made her laugh. He made her angry. He made her feel. Then, when her mother was ill, she talked to him. She told him about her fears. He listened. He had never done anything to make her feel her safety was in doubt. Something in her told her she was being foolish, but she ignored it. It was about this time that she had met Riley. She went to school then, and he tried to take her under his wing'. He wanted to help with her coursework. Whenever she turned around, he was there. 

Then her mother became ill. From what she'd understood about this reality, the illnesses her mom had had were different. In her own reality, Buffy's mom had had a cancer which killed her slowly. From the onset to its inevitable conclusion, it had taken over a year. When she realised what was in store for her mother, Buffy had given up school. Spike became a regular visitor to the house in the evenings. When Mom felt well enough to sit up, she enjoyed his company. When Mom was too ill to be anywhere other than in bed, Buffy poured out her heart to him. When her mom had already been sick for six months, they had the final verdict on her condition. That evening, her mom was still in hospital, recovering from the latest biopsy. She was unconscious, and unlikely to even recognise her daughter due to the cocktail of drugs she had been taking lately. The medical staff insisted Buffy go home. 

That night, when Spike came round, she decided to take the risk. She couldn't do any more for her mother. She didn't have anyone else to live for. She needed something to ease the gnawing dread that filled her. That night, she had set aside the last of her reservations about Spike. It no longer mattered if he killed her. She invited him to spend the night with her.

Somehow he had instinctively known exactly what she needed. Their lovemaking was gentle and tender. That night she slept for the first time in months. She slept even half expecting that she'd never wake up. She remembered clearly her astonishment when she woke next morning to find that he had held her all night. 

When her mother died, Riley had made his move. Somehow, once he knew she was ill, he had avoided her. As soon as her mother was buried, he was back on the scene, somehow expecting to fill the void that had been left. She'd tried to put him off every time he came round, tried to make it clear she wasn't interested in him, but he thought he only had to wait until she was ready.

She remembered clearly the night he and Spike met for the first time. Riley was already involved with the Initiative, but when they met, it didn't occur to him that Spike was anything but human. Even so, the dislike between the two men was obvious immediately. Both felt that the other was infringing on his territory, and initially, Buffy was angry with both of them. That changed when Riley escalated things. Spike had been throwing veiled insults at him, but Riley was more aggressive. He started by implying that Spike was probably in the country illegally. (True, but beside the point.) When Spike didn't back down, Riley threw the first punch. Of course, given that they were both fit, healthy humans, Riley's size and military training should have given him a huge advantage. The unknown factor, of course, was that Spike wasn't human. Riley came off worse in the ensuing scrap, although it was obvious to Buffy that Spike didn't give anything like as good as he could have done. Riley got away with a broken and bloody nose and a mild concussion. By then, Spike's true nature was apparent, and Riley had been revolted. Especially when Spike rubbed in the fact that he would be spending the night. 

After that night, Riley disappeared for several months. When he returned, he was the commanding officer of the Initiative base in Sunnydale, and the whole demon persecution business started in earnest.

That night, they patrolled together. Spike still seemed somehow vulnerable. Buffy had tried to make him understand that she still loved him despite her new friends, but it was obvious he didn't quite believe her. They were quiet as they checked the local cemeteries. They first became aware of trouble as they left the last on their rounds. It was a narrow alleyway, just outside the cemetery. The other Buffy had often found fledglings here, lying in wait for some unsuspecting human, and the gang had passed this information on. Tonight, there were no fledglings. As they reached the middle of the alley, they spotted several vampires ahead. Deciding it looked too much like an ambush, they turned to go the other way, hoping to draw them into more open ground. Instead they found a similar group coming the other way. In total there were about a dozen. Spike squared his shoulders, grinning madly as he changed to demon face. "Come on, love, it'll be fun," he told her, jumping into the fray.

Fun wasn't exactly the word Buffy would have used, but in a perverse way, she did enjoy herself. This was exactly what she had avoided for so many years, yet she got a strange satisfaction from breaking bones and eventually staking the creatures who attacked. Even when it was obvious they didn't stand a chance, the vampires continued to attack, fear making their efforts more desperate and less effective.

During most of the fight, one had stood back. He seemed to have some seniority over the others, as he directed the fight. Although they didn't take much notice of him while they were fighting, they heard what he said and stored it for later use. This vampire ended up dust just like the rest, but from what he said, it was obvious that Buffy was to be taken alive and unharmed.

They walked home in silence. Spike seemed lost in his own thoughts, and Buffy was chilled by what she had heard. When they got in, Buffy immediately went to shower. The fact that he didn't join her proved to Buffy that he was disturbed by something. As she dressed for bed, he watched her. "He wants you, love. We know that now," he started.

Buffy shrugged. "He wants lots of people – preferably young and able to produce lots of children. I've still got to put an end to this."

Spike shook his head. "No, love, he wants **you**. He didn't send that many to get himself another brood mare. It's you he wants. This is something more than we know about. We know he came to Sunnydale for a reason. Maybe you're part of that reason. You can't go there. I won't let you give yourself to him."

"You can't stop me, Spike. I love you, and I promise I won't take any unnecessary risks, but I have to do something."

She was determined. She saw the look of hurt on his face, and she went over to him, sitting on his lap and kissing him. She intended to show him that nothing had changed between them. She wanted that vulnerable look off his face and replaced by his usual cocksure grin. Afterwards, Buffy realised that their lovemaking that night was different. There was a desperation about it that she only recognised when she really understood what had been in his mind.


	14. Chapter 14

This is the chapter I had in mind when I rated the story.

**Chapter 14 – Saturday, Alternative Reality**

It was 6am when Riley finally made it back to the Initiative base. They had found a pocket of demons holed up in a disused mine about five miles from Sunnydale. At first, Riley had thought he had hit gold. He thought he had really found the headquarters of the resistance. When it became obvious he hadn't, he worked on the assumption that they must know where it was. Riley had spent the last year or more learning everything he could about demons of every type. He knew their weak spots, and more importantly, he knew how to cause them pain. He had spent several hours at the mine, putting his knowledge into practice. When it became apparent that the twenty or so demons there had no useful knowledge, he had ordered them killed. 

He was not in a good mood when he reached his quarters. He was filthy and covered in demon blood and slime. And he'd planned to spend some time with Buffy. There were so many things he had to do with her, and he was anxious to get on with them. He was tired too, but that didn't worry him too much. He knew he was due another vitamin supplement' and that that would sort him out. He showered and changed, then called the medical attendant to give him his injection. He had planned to go straight to Buffy's room, but the doctor insisted he have some rest first. Reluctantly, Riley lay down to sleep, setting his alarm for later that morning.

Willow had agreed to return to the resistance base with Oz. He had phoned ahead to assemble a group of sympathetic humans who could help in the next stage of the plan.

When they arrived, they went straight to the meeting room. There were more than fifty humans there, as well as a larger number of demons. The makeshift table and chairs had been cleared to one side, and Oz stood on one of the packing cases to be heard.

"Thank you all for coming. This is probably the most important development we've had to date. If this works, we'll be on our way to putting things in Sunnydale right once and for all. The information we have gathered on reported demon related deaths and the possible link to an organ transplant conspiracy is being collated and checked. The next step will be to get that information out of Sunnydale. In the meantime, Willow Rosenberg has come up with something which might render the sniffers used by the Initiative useless. She's come up with a harmless chemical which mimics the demon pheromones the sniffer detects. What we need to do is get this chemical into the air all over town. That's where you come in. We want you to go into Sunnydale; into every public building you can, and find your way to the air conditioning plant. A few drops of the liquid we supply, added to the water supply for the plant, will get this chemical into the air all over town. Do what you have to do. Use any contacts you have. Use any subterfuge you think will work, but get this stuff out there. We're counting on you."

Spike had listened to Oz's speech carefully. He watched Willow standing to one side, trying to inconspicuous. He'd always had a soft spot for the red head. He was struggling badly with the waiting, and now it looked as though he would be able to get out of here soon. Get out of here and find Buffy. And then he was going to kill Riley. That was the only thing, which had kept him here. He knew he had to be ready to kill Riley when the time was right. He'd learned that much with the two Slayers he had killed. You had to time things; you had to have patience.

Within a couple of hours of Oz's speech, the plan was in force. Soon afterwards, the chemical started to seep into the air. Tiny quantities of it landed on clothing, on cars and trucks. And slowly, the area contaminated with it grew to include not only Sunnydale, but most of the surrounding area too.

Buffy had had another bad night. When no one came in to give her an injection, she had decided not to eat in case they had changed their method of administration. She had slept in snatches, dreaming of Riley's leering face every time. For the first time in a long time, Buffy felt helpless. She had come to rely on her Slayer strength, and now she was without it. She suspected she was still without it when she woke the next morning. If it wasn't in the food, she wondered how else it could be getting into her system. At about seven, she got up and decided to have a shower. The evening before, with her evening meal, she had been issued with a new all-in-one overall thing, which, while not exactly stylish, was at least clean. She laid this over the towel rail in the bathroom and turned on the water. She stepped under the water and closed her eyes. She hoped the shower could make up for her lack of sleep. She felt groggy as a result this and whatever drugs she had been dosed with. Hearing an unexpected noise, she opened her eyes to find a yellowish gas coming from the centre of the shower outlet. She realised this must be the chemical which removed her extra strength, but it was already too late. More than enough had already dissolved in the water running over her body and once on her skin, it was easily absorbed. Turning off the water, she hit her hand against the wall of the shower in frustration. She just wished she were able to hit someone instead.

"She spotted it," the orderly reported to the officer who called to check on the prisoner. Of course, he didn't go into the room, Finn had asked that no one but he go in for now. He viewed the relevant parts of the tapes, which had been prepared for his perusal.

"No problem, put the next dose in the outlet over her bed," he answered.

The orderly nodded and went back to watching the live output from the cameras in the bedroom and bathroom.

It was just after noon when Riley had showered and broken his fast. He decided he needed to sort things out with Buffy right away. As he walked to the detention area, he fingered the heavy leather belt around his waist. Yes, there was a lot he needed to do, but it was necessary. He needed to be able to forgive her.

Dismissing the orderly and switching off the live feed to the screen on the desk, Riley let himself into the room. She was lying on the bed looking dejected. He liked that. He had seen her angry, and sad, but never dejected.

"Hello, Buffy," he started. She was wearing a standard issue coverall – easily the least attractive piece of clothing ever invented, yet she still looked amazing. No make up, nothing to take away from the girl he had wanted from the first time he had seen her.

She saw him looking at her, undressing her with his eyes, and she hated him. She sat, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed, trying to look less vulnerable. He loomed over her – he always had, she remembered. Her Riley had loomed over her, but he had never made her feel like this. One of his hands ran down the front of the coverall undoing the poppers as he went. She lunged at him, trying to push him away, but he was too strong. He laughed.

"Not used to this, are you?" he taunted her. "Used to being the strong one, aren't you? But now, you're all weak and I've been taking my vitamin supplements. So the tables are turned, aren't they?"

Buffy looked down, trying hard not to let him see the fear in her eyes. She knew it was there. She felt it bubbling through her entire being. She was helpless, and she knew it.

"Don't be afraid, Buffy," he coaxed her, lifting her head to face him. "We'll get this mess sorted out. There're some things we need to get out of the way, though. First, you need to earn my forgiveness. That needs two things. First I have to punish you. I learned that from my Daddy. Punishment before forgiveness. And you have to be punished for being the whore of that filthy monster. Then, you have to tell me where that he is. Him and the rest of that demon loving garbage which styles itself the resistance'. Then, when you've earned your redemption, you can find out how it feels to have a man in your bed. You see, everything will be ok. There's a reward at the end of it. It's up to you, really, it doesn't even have to take long, just so long as you tell me what I need to know. You know he doesn't care about you. He's long gone." He paused, letting this sink in. "But I'm getting ahead of myself, punishment first."

As he spoke, he undid the buckle of his belt and slid it out through the loops in his trousers. Buffy's mind raced. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. He honestly thought she'd fall into his arms willingly. He was mad. But he was also deadly serious.

He gripped the collar of her coverall, yanking it off her shoulders and down her arms. He pulled her upright and continued pulling the garment off until it fell to her knees. As he did this, Buffy had been punching ineffectually at him as hard as she could. He didn't seem to notice. She remembered her Riley – the one she had cared about. When he was on the Initiative drugs, he hadn't felt pain. She knew she was shaking. She was so angry with him and the feeling of helplessness was so acute, that tremors were running up and down her limbs. Having pushed the garment out of the way, Riley pushed her down onto the bed, face down on the covers. He held her there with his left hand on her shoulder. He looked down at her. She was shaking. He could see her trembling before him. He wanted her so much. But no, that would come. Punishment must come first.

"I'm not going to tell you that this'll hurt me more than it'll hurt you. My Daddy always used to say that, but I know it's not true."

He pulled her pants out of the way. Raising his right hand, her brought the belt down on her buttocks hard. He saw her flinch and the raised, red welt caused by the leather. He looked at the belt. It was a replica of the one his father had used on him so many times. His father used to boast that it was the best for this purpose. He raised his hand again and again. Her buttocks no longer showed the appearance of individual strokes, but had become an angry red whole.

Buffy endured. It was all she could do. She couldn't stop herself flinching with every stroke, but she had a mouthful of bedlinen between her teeth to stop her from crying out. As the Slayer, she had been hurt many times before, but always in a fight. Always in circumstances where she stood some chance of fighting back. The pain being inflicted on her now was intended to be simply that – pain. It was intended to degrade her. Everything Riley had in mind for her was intended to degrade and humiliate her.

Riley was breathing hard. It wasn't the physical effort of beating her that caused that, it was the physical effort of controlling his arousal. He had always found her physically exciting, but seeing her lying in front of him, totally in his control, was almost more than he could cope with. "She's going to fight it," he thought. "Her redemption is going to take time. But I've got time. We'll take it slowly. Today, she'll earn my forgiveness for debasing herself with that filth. But it'll be a long time before she's completely cleansed of all her corruption. It's going to hurt her, but it's for her own good."

He dropped his hand to his side. Removing his other hand from her shoulder, he pushed her over on to her back. He knelt on the bed with one leg either side of her, his face close to hers. "Punishment is complete – for the present," he told her. "Now it's your chance to show me that you deserve my forgiveness. Tell me where he is. Tell me where the resistance is based. You tell me right away, and we can get right on to the next bit – when I prove to you that you won't ever miss him." As he said this, he rubbed himself suggestively against her, while his right hand dropped the belt to the floor and moved to stroke her breasts through the material of her bra. Unable to do more, Buffy spat in his face.

Livid, Riley got up off the bed then leaned over to slap her face. "Filthy slut," he whispered menacingly into her face. "This could have been quick and easy on you. We'll just have to continue. When I've punished you enough, you'll see what he's done to you, how he's corrupted you. Some day, you'll thank me for this."

Gritting her teeth, Buffy ground out, "Some day, I'll kill you for this."

Retrieving the belt from the floor, Riley gave her one stroke across the front of her thighs before turning her back over. He continued his ruthless beating.

Buffy wasn't sure how much longer it was. It felt like forever, but she time was crawling, the pain from each stroke seemingly lasting a lifetime. Suddenly the air was split with an electronic siren. Riley didn't hear it at first, and gave her two further strokes before it penetrated his lust- and anger-filled brain. Once it had filtered through, his military training overtook the emotion he felt, and he left the room, pausing only to retrieve the videotape of the recent happenings in the room.

Buffy lay, unmoving on the bed. She felt tears start in her eyes. She didn't know what the alarm meant, but she was grateful for it. She had no intention of telling Riley anything, but she suspected he wouldn't give up. After collecting herself, she pulled herself onto her knees and shuffled to the bathroom without bothering to move the coverall from around her knees. She thought she'd be safe from another dose of the muscle relaxant for a while since it was only a few hours since the last one. She turned the shower on to cold, and stripping off her clothes, stepped under the water, hoping that the cold water would ease the pain in her lower body. He had started aiming the belt in a narrow area, but latterly, the belt had landed widely over her back, from just below her shoulders to her ankles. When she had finished, she dried herself off gently, minimising contact with her aching body, and pulled her underwear and the coverall back on. Raising her hands to the collar around her neck, she pulled at it violently, trying desperately to remove it. She failed, just as she had every other time she had tried. She couldn't even feel a join in the metal. She felt anger burning in her anew, and she started to pace her bedroom, desperate for some way to escape before Riley returned to continue the punishment'.

Riley knew what the alarm meant and he was worried. That particular tone meant that the demon sniffers had detected a demon within the base in an unauthorised area. That would instigate a total lock down. The people of Sunnydale had welcomed the Initiative, so the security measures were designed to deflect only the threat from demons. The key to the system was the demon detector. He was angry. He knew she would have broken soon. She was reaching the limit of what he had taken from his father, and he knew how it felt. No matter how angry he was with his father, no matter how sure he was that he was right, he had always backed down and apologised in the end, and as soon as he had, he was forgiven. And once that was over, she would want him as much as he wanted her.

Stopping at his office only briefly, he headed straight for central control to get the details on the hostile incursion. What he saw when he got there reignited his anger. The place wasn't the usual hub of organised activity. He knew they were running at well under minimum manpower – as far as his superiors were concerned, the Sunnydale base was closed. He had made the decision to return and had taken only a few staff with him. The three men in the room were hurrying from display to display, calling out readings and detector positions. "What the hell is going on?" Riley shouted. All three stopped dead. They knew Finn, and he was feared, but they had never seen him as he was now. None wanted to be the one to tell him, but at last, one stepped forward. 

"Sir," he began, "we have detected demon presence at forty-nine" He was interrupted by one of the others. "Fifty-one, now sir."

The first continued. "sites in the base. No visual contact."

Riley ran to check the displays himself. The man was gibbering. There was no way the detectors would show that many incursions without visual evidence. Looking at the screens, he had to accept what he had been told.

"Get Green up here," he ordered. "There must be something wrong with the detectors. There's a new batch in the basement. Break them out and check these positives. It's the only explanation."

"But, Sir, with a security lockdown in place, it won't be possible to get near the detectors."

Riley sighed in irritation. The man was right, and he was the only person on the base with security clearance to put that right. He walked to a console and input the correct series of commands and passwords. A message flashed on the screen when he had finished. It was a warning that the security system had lost communication with the emergency power system. He didn't understand how that had happened, but it was less important than getting the detectors up and working again.

By midday, Spike had had enough waiting. He wanted to go and get Buffy. It was all he could think of. When the message got through that sirens had been heard at the Initiative base, a cheer went up among the assembled group in the meeting room. As soon as he knew what was happening, Spike cornered Oz. "Right, that's it. I'm heading off to get Buffy. I can go alone, or I can take a team with me, that's up to you, but I'm going."

Oz looked at the vampire. He saw in his eyes that he would not be dissuaded. He nodded his head. "You pick three or four of the demons you've been training. We may need some muscle – apart from you. I know about your chip – one attempt at hurting a human and you'll be incapacitated. We should really leave you here, you could be a liability, but I can see you won't change your mind. We'll assemble here in thirty minutes. That good enough?"

Spike's shoulders relaxed visibly. He had been ready to fight his corner, and was relieved he didn't have to. He was boiling over with rage, but it needed to be directed at Riley Finn.

To add to Riley's discomfiture, reports from the mobile units he had set to continue checking the surrounding areas had reported the same thing. Either there were hundreds of invisible demons around, or there was a problem with the detectors. Reluctantly, he stood down the mobile units and contacted those in charge of the various vigilante groups he had armed. The last thing they needed was for one of those groups to go and kill a human because of a faulty detector. He went back to his office to phone his commanding officer. He intended to ensure that the boffins responsible for this fiasco were held to account.

Spike got into the back of the van with Oz and three Jelka demons. Two men, who were introduced as Jon and Steve, sat in the front. As they headed towards the base, Spike hoped this base was similar to the one he had escaped from in his own reality. He knew his way to where he had been held, and if Buffy was in the same area, they might be able to get her out quickly. 

Oz had a plan. They hid their van off the road about half a mile from the base. The road led only to the base, so there was no traffic at present. 

Jon lay in the road and Steve knelt by his side – an apparently injured man and his concerned companion. Oz had heard of the recall of the mobile units from those listening to local radio traffic. The others remained out of sight – Spike in the back of the van since it was daylight. When a van approached, Steve waved them to a halt. The passenger got out and went to see if he could help. He wasn't worried. It was broad daylight and these two were obviously human. At the same time, one of the Jelka demons approached the driver. Spike had chosen Jelkas because of their physical strength, but they had the added ability of being able to move silently. At the same instant, both Steve and the Jelka hit their target with a previously concealed cattle prod and the two men collapsed. They hid both in the bushes close to the road, and they all got into the other van – Spike covered by a blanket for the short distance. Steve drove and Jon was by his side. The others were hidden in the back.

By the time they reached the base, security was a mess. It had taken a while to check out the new batch of detectors and every available man had been moved from current duties to achieve it. When the new detectors were found to react in the same way, the men reporting to Riley just didn't know what else to do. The van was waved through without a check. Parking it in the underground garage, the resistance members got out. Spike took the lead. It all looked familiar. He assumed Buffy would be held in the same section as he was, and he was able to find his way easily. There was no security to be seen anywhere, and doors had been left open to simplify the task of changing the detectors. The detention area appeared to be deserted. Most of it was made up of a row of empty cages. Looking around, they found a desk opposite a closed door. The desk was unmanned, but there was a control console which allowed the door to be opened. 

As she heard the door whirr open, Buffy froze. He was back. She steeled herself to fight back harder this time – to show him she wasn't going to be broken this way, and approached the doorway. 

Spike knew as soon as the door opened that he had found her. He could smell her, and as he did, his anger ignited again. He knew that smell. It was fear and pain. He rushed ahead of the others into the room.

She raised her hand to hit him as he entered, and was amazed to see it wasn't Riley but Spike. He was so relieved to see her, that he took an unthinking step closer to her. To his surprise, she took a step towards him, falling into his arms shakily, relief turning her legs to jelly. He just held her there until she managed to support her own weight and she took a step away from him. She looked at him, questioningly, as if she didn't understand her own reaction, but said nothing. 

"Let's get you out of here," Spike started, holding out an arm to lead her to the door. She started to follow, but her hand crept to her neck and she felt the metal collar. Remembering the demonstration she explained.

"I can't. This collar'll stop me getting out. There's some sort of barrier at the door and the collar can't get through."

Spike approached again, taking the collar in his hands and trying to find the join. He looked at her. "There's no join. How'd they fit it?"

"There was a join. I'm not sure how it disappeared. Can you break it?"

Spike put his hands back to the collar and tried to pull it apart, but found he couldn't even stretch it slightly. "How's it powered. Is it magic? Or something more mundane?"

Buffy thought for a moment, remembering the electrical crackle she'd heard before. "Electrical, I think," she decided.

Oz stepped forward. "Ok, there has to be a generator here somewhere. I suggest we go and find it."

At these words, Buffy started to shake again. She didn't want to be left here alone again. She knew that if she was, Riley would come back. And she knew what would happen then. Spike spotted her terror. The smell of it suddenly became overpowering. "What is it, love? What'd the bastard do to you?"

Buffy shook her head. "I'm fine. It's just, please don't leave me here. He'll come back, I know he will." Her voice was pleading.

"If he's coming back, I'm staying," Spike announced. Oz put his hand on the vampire's shoulder. "And what'll you do if he comes back? Collapse with a headache? You can come with me. We'll take the Jelkas too. Steve and Jon can stay. They're ex-military. They can handle themselves."

"He's s..strong," Buffy stuttered. "He's on something, he's stronger than he should be. He gave me something so I'd lose my Slayer strength, but he's still too strong."

The two men smiled at each other. They each pulled out a miniature cattle prod and a gun from under their jackets. "Don't worry, Miss, we can handle him," Steve reassured her, taking up position to one side of the doorway.

Somewhat mollified, but still reluctant to leave, Spike followed Oz into the corridor. He didn't know what Riley had done to her, but she was obviously in pain and terrified. Headache or no, he promised himself he'd kill Riley if he met him. 

Spike had no real idea of where to look for a generator. Eventually, they agreed to split up, the Jelkas going in one direction and Oz and Spike in another. It took some time. There were surprisingly few people around, and those they found were disposed of when Oz applied a cattle prod while Spike did his best to look frightening. He managed it too – in his current rage, his demon face was easier to maintain than his human one. 

Coming to series of laboratories, Oz thought they might be close. Spike used his preternatural hearing to listen for a telltale hum. When he picked it up, he followed the sound like a bloodhound would a scent. He was no longer worried about being discrete. Doors were simply removed from hinges as he stormed from room to room. At last they reached the source of power for the headquarters.

The energy control room wasn't too big, but it was filled with equipment. Oz started to look for a control which would switch off power to the complex. Spike took a simpler approach. On the way, he had picked up an axe from a fire point. Oz had assumed he did it to look more menacing. Spike had other ideas. He started to swing the axe at the machinery, sending sparks into the air and causing spurts of smoke as he did so. After a dozen or so strokes, he must have hit something critical. There was a loud explosion, and as the light faded to be replaced by low level emergency lighting, Oz saw Spike hit the floor, every muscle in his body twitching as a massive bolt of electricity earthed through his body.

It took several minutes before Spike came around. Oz was surprised he managed it so quickly, but assumed it was because of his rage. He must be totally high on adrenaline or whatever demons use instead. As he came round, his hand went immediately to his head. "Bloody hell," he moaned. "Did I hit someone? That's the worst zap this thing's ever given me." 

He got shakily to his feet, still clutching his head, but was soon all business as he noted the emergency lighting.

They made good time back to the detention centre and found that the Jelkas had already arrived and that Steve and Jon were helping Buffy out of her cell. Steve was holding the collar in his hand. It must have been possible to remove it when the power went off. They made for the exit as fast as they could. Fortunately, the lack of main power meant that electronically operated doors had all frozen open, so there was nothing to stop them getting outside. Again, those they met were only too afraid of the Jelkas and the vampire in demon face, and most melted into the background. Just as they got to the exit, one fool decided to stop them. He was armed, but Spike just kept on at him. He fired, hitting Spike in the chest, but he carried on regardless. Spike hit him as he walked past, knocking him to the ground. He didn't even notice the significance of what he had done, but Buffy did.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 – Saturday, Standard Reality**

Buffy woke next morning to find Spike gone. She jumped out of bed and saw the note he had left for her.

_Buffy,_

_You said I couldn't stop you giving yourself up to Dominic, but I can. I've gone to get what you need. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Please don't come rushing in – you'll blow my cover._

_Know that whatever happens, and whatever you hear, that I love you and the time I've spent with you has been the happiest I've ever known._

_Spike_

The scream Buffy let out on reading this note had the other occupants of the house running into her bedroom. She didn't know whether she was more angry than afraid or more afraid than angry. By the time Dawn came in, she was sitting on her bed, the letter in her hand, and her face pale except for two red circles on her cheeks. When they asked her what was wrong, she said nothing, simply handed them the paper. 

They each read it in silence, passing it on as they finished the short note. Willow sat on the bed next to her friend, and noticed that tears were forming in Buffy's eyes. She put an arm around her shoulder as she would have for her own Buffy. She had always known that this version of Buffy loved Spike, but this was the first real proof she had seen. One look at her face told the witch that Buffy believed Spike already dust, or worse, suffering the torment of the sunroom.

In fact, Spike was neither. He had approached Dominic's warehouse quite openly. Mustering every ounce of his cocky, arrogant manner, he had marched up to the security team and demanded to see the boss. It had taken a while before he got to Dominic. He had to go through several levels of subordinate, each time telling his story. 

When he was eventually admitted to the inner sanctum, he looked around in awe. Here was a vampire who knew how to live, but was really afraid of death. The room was large, and could be entered only through two consecutive guard rooms. Even here, there were a dozen vampires of what he supposed were his personal bodyguards present. There was another doorway to the other end of the room, from which he could hear voices – female voices. 

Dominic himself surprised him. Somehow he had expected something bigger. Physically, they were about the same height and build. While Spike's hair was platinum blonde, Dominic's was dark - almost black. The most remarkable thing about him was the face. In many respects it was beautiful, but it was a beauty only his demon could appreciate. It was cold, cruel and evil. Spike had been warned on his way to this room that he should treat The Master' with deference. Spike, of course, ignored this advice.

"Nice place," he started, "considering you've only moved in. I particularly like the curtains. Always did like red, reminds me of blood."

The guards blanched visibly, waiting for Dominic's reaction. When it came, it surprised them.

"Thank you, er, Spike, isn't it? Also known as William the Bloody. Now tell me, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Well, I'm sure you already know," Spike explained. "I wouldn't have been allowed in here unless your interest had been piqued, now would I? But for the sake of form, I'll tell you. I hear you came here to get the Slayer. Exactly what I did a while ago. Got to tell you, she's stronger than you'd think. Didn't exactly go to plan. But, I found something better than killing her – at least for now. A Slayer is something special, you know? Imagine the best you've ever known. I'm sure you've gathered a nice collection of.. er.. partners over the years." He nodded knowingly to the door at the end of the room. 

"Now imagine the best of them, then imagine her warm and full of Slayer blood. So, why drain the whole thing at once, when you can have all the other advantages, and a regular taster too? It's kept me happy this past year or more, I can tell you. But I know, that wouldn't interest you. So, I've come to do a deal. This Slayer's too strong. You won't get her without help. So, for a certain consideration, I could give her to you. I know her. You need me."

Dominic had been watching the other vampire as he spoke. This was a version of their relationship he hadn't heard before.

"If you're so.. intimate with the Slayer, why have I not heard about it? I knew you have been seen with her, but there has been no suggestion that you have knowledge of her."

Spike grimaced mentally. It was a very long time since he'd heard that particular euphemism for shagging. "This bloke must be out of the ark," he thought to himself.

"Yeah, well, it's a bit of a game, isn't it? She wants to keep her friends, and they wouldn't approve of my having knowledge' of her, so we keep it quiet. Well, not that quiet. She's quite noisy actually, when we. But you don't want to know about that. So, anyway, thing is, I'm ready to move on. Good as it is, everything palls after a while, and I'm prepared to obtain the Slayer for you in return for the wherewithal to set myself up somewhere in a bit of comfort." 

Dominic was perplexed. There was truth in what Spike had told him. There was an easy familiarity about the way he spoke that made him inclined to believe that he was indeed intimate with the Slayer. But there was one way to be sure. Motioning to his guards to keep back, he approached Spike, demon face to the fore. He sampled the air around the blonde vampire. He recognised the smell immediately. Human, with the extra tang of Slayer. It was recent, and very personal.

Having discovered that much, Dominic considered the offer. "Well, you may be right. I sent a dozen of my best after her last night, and none returned. It should have been more than enough. You weren't there by any chance, were you?"

Spike was worried this could be the end of his plan, but knew he may have been spotted, so he had to be truthful. "Well, yeah, but I couldn't give her to you without making a deal first, now could I? And anyway, that's how I knew you wanted her. So now, I'm still trusted, well, trusted is maybe a bit strong, but I've still got my invitation to her bed, and I can still deliver."

"Let's say for the moment that I'm considering your offer. I'd really prefer if you stayed here while I make my decision. Is that going to cause a problem? If you don't go back for a day or two, I mean."

"Well," Spike lied. "I sometimes go off for a day or two. But not often. Most times I'm back before sunrise. I always get such a lovely welcome back."

In the back of his mind, Spike realised Buffy wouldn't like this at all. He'd hoped to make it a quick in and out – even if he didn't get the lamp this visit, he had just wanted to be able to come and go freely. 

Following their conversation, Spike was taken to a small room down the corridor from Dominic's quarters. It was comfortably appointed, although not so lavish as he had recently seen. There was a bed, a couple of chairs and a small wardrobe. The minion who took him there offered him refreshment, blood, or even a female to pass the time. Spike asked for some beer. He was thirsty after all that talking. Besides, he really needed a drink. He'd have preferred something stronger, but had to keep his wits about him. 

Thinking about wits, he wondered if he had any. He had just walked willingly into the lair of a vampire master known to use a sunroom to torture his own minions. What he would do to a spy was anyone's guess. Spike knew, that at the first sign of duplicity, he was in for a very long, very unpleasant end. Still, he knew, even that was better than living without her.

Buffy was frantic. She wished Spike had given her a bit more of a clue about what he planned. She couldn't see how he could get away with this. Willow was so concerned that Buffy would do something stupid, that she called Xander and asked him to come over. When he arrived, they assembled in the lounge. Willow explained what had happened. In response, Xander simply smiled. "Great Godfrey Cambridge, don't you see? He hasn't gone off to do anything noble. He said Dominic wants you, right?" 

Buffy nodded. 

"Well, he's gone to offer you to him. Probably decided the great white chief can give him more than you can. Surprising thing is, he hasn't done something like this before. There must be any number of vamps and others around would pay a pretty penny for an in to the Slayer. He's been playing you for a fool – hell, he's been playing us all."

Buffy immediately opened her mouth to refute what Xander had said. She knew Spike. She knew how he was last night. She realised that he already planned this when they made love. That was why everything had a different tone. He half expected it was their last time together. The combination of shock at Spike's actions and anger at Xander's words had robbed her of words. Her face reddened noticeably, and Willow jumped between her two friends to head off the murder she could see in Buffy's eyes.

"Xander, stop that. We don't know Spike's planning anything like that. We have to try to find out. Remember, we don't know this Spike. We can't pass judgement on him. We trusted the Riley we knew, remember? But the Riley in the other reality sounds like a monster. We don't know enough to start assuming his motives."

Xander had whitened when he saw Buffy's anger. With a powerful witch – even one who had temporarily forsworn magic between them, his courage returned. "I know all I need to. Spike is a monster. He's an evil, soulless, dead thing. He doesn't care about anyone or anything. He's only stayed around as long as he has because he's been getting happys from the Slayer. Now she's got friends to compare him with, he knows his days are numbered and he's looking to the main chance. And anyway, I haven't heard anything about that other Riley to stop me wanting to shake his hand and congratulate him. Wiping out demons? I thought that's what we'd all been doing these last few years."

Shaking his head in disgust, Xander got up and walked into the kitchen. He hadn't intended to say so much, but seeing Buffy so upset about a worthless corpse had made him angry. 

Meanwhile in the lounge, Tara and Dawn were trying to calm Buffy. She still hadn't spoken, but rage was coming off her in waves which were almost visible. Willow followed Xander into the kitchen. "Sometimes you amaze me," she told him. "I know she needs to consider that possibility, but you could have handled that better. You know how stubborn Buffy can be. It wouldn't matter now if we found gold plated evidence that you're right, she still wouldn't believe you. And remember, this Buffy doesn't know you. She doesn't know you said what you did because you love her. She hardly knows you. How would you feel if someone told you that Anya had betrayed you like that?"

"Anya wouldn't," Xander interjected.

"Doesn't matter," Willow jumped back in. "Buffy loves him. If you didn't know that before, you knew that when you saw her today."

Shoulders slumping, Xander made for the back door. 

"Where're you going?" Willow asked.

"If you need evidence, I'm going to get evidence," he replied, closing the door behind him.

Spike had been edgy when he arrived. After sitting in this room for four hours, he was beyond edgy. He tried lying down, trying to sleep but that hadn't worked. He'd drunk more beer than he'd intended and even that didn't help. And now he was getting hungry. Sooner or later he was going to have to accept the offer of blood. He just hoped it wouldn't require him taking it direct. It was so long since he had fed from a human, so long since he had even tasted human blood. Still, if he had to, he could. He wouldn't kill, though. He wondered again if he should have mentioned the chip. While he didn't have one, his other self did, and he wasn't sure how general this knowledge was. He had thought it would make him seem pitiful and somehow less believable, so he had decided not to mention it. He could always claim he thought it was common knowledge if it came to light. And then again, it would be useful if he had to prove himself in some way to this clan. If they wanted him to do something to prove his loyalty, he could use it to prevent having to do anything to hurt humans.

At last he had slept. It wasn't a restful sleep, filled as it was with dreams of the vampire he'd seen Buffy dust in her basement. He was shaken awake just after sunset by a subservient minion bearing a mug of blood.

"The master has granted you an audience," the minion said deferentially as Spike stood up. "You have time to refresh yourself, but please be ready in fifteen minutes. The master isn't kept waiting."

Sipping the blood, Spike immediately recognised it as human and fresh. Looking across the room, he spotted a basin filled with hot water. He went over and splashed his face, trying to revive himself. When he was taken to Dominic again, it was to a different part of the warehouse. This was a large communal area. Dominic was standing in front of his assembled (male) minions as if to make a speech. Spike's guide explained that Dominic would speak to him after he had addressed the clan.

Dominic's address seemed primarily to cover mundane matters. "Stupid ponce," Spike thought to himself. "Got to stand up in front of them all to remind them who's boss. How insecure's that?"

Towards the end of the address, Spike was guided towards the podium.

"We have a new ally, and I hope, soon, a new adopted clan member," he began. "This is William the Bloody, also known as Slayer of Slayers. He has killed two Slayers already, and has promised me a third. He will be treated with respect."

When the meeting broke up, the minions went to feed. Dominic approached Spike, still flanked by his bodyguards.

"So, you decided to take me up on my offer, then?" Spike asked.

"Yes, I rather think I will," Dominic replied, looking thoughtful. "There's just one thing. It's not just one Slayer I want, it's seven. That must interest you. I may even let you use them a little. And I just need to turn them. There's so much I want to do, and seven Slayers are just the beginning. Once I have them, I can move on to even greater things. If you aid me in this, William, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."

Spike considered this. It was even more serious than he'd thought. Seven Slayers – that sounded like a deal – the sort of deal you made with a very powerful demon or maybe a hellgod. Spike tried to look as if he liked what he was hearing. 

"I wondered when it would be convenient for me to return to the Slayer. I can return any night you wish, but I will need to keep my information up to date if I'm to be of use to you. Did you have a time in mind for her to be taken?"

Dominic decided he could see the wisdom in this. "Yes, I understand. I need to have the Slayer before the next new moon, so we have time. I'd like to be sure she was here within the next week, so you could work to that, but really, the sooner the better."

Spike agreed, then added, "Tell me, would it be possible to see around your set up here? I mean, the guided tour thing? What I've seen so far is very impressive. And the blood that was provided for me, it was fresh, and young. I'd like to see where it comes from."

"Ah, yes, the farm," Dominic purred. He obviously loved hearing that Spike was impressed. "Yes, we could certainly arrange that." He turned to one of his minions. "Go and get Dr. Wilson," he commanded.

"Wilson," he continued to Spike, "is in charge of the farm. We only started to gather stock a few days ago, but we're already almost self-sufficient. I allow my personal guards to hunt still, but the rest must rely on the farm."

A few moments later, the minion returned with a tall, slim vampire dressed in a business suit and a white coat. "Old habits die hard," Spike thought to himself. Dominic excused himself, asking Wilson to give Spike a tour of the farm.

As he walked around the pens, Spike couldn't help but be impressed. To have achieved so much in just a few days spoke of tremendous organisation. Each pen was filled with ten people. Some pens looked more like hospital wards, with captives lying on beds with drips in their arms. Others held groups of terrified young people, sitting wide-eyed and miserable.

"The drip contains an iron supplement, and a small dose of sedative," the doctor explained. "I have found the iron decreases the time between successive donations, and the sedative keeps things quiet, helps prevent injury. Of course, it doesn't affect us when we feed." 

"We are experimenting with other substances. I've noticed a certain reluctance in humans to respond to natural urges in these circumstances. The pens over there," he pointed to the far corner, "will be the breeding pens. They are enclosed, and we can put a variety of chemicals - pheromones and other aphrodisiacs into the air there. Hopefully these will ensure that those in that room do as nature intended. The area to the left currently houses the females we will breed from. They are, of course, not required to donate at present. We need them in full health. I have a great deal of experience, you see. I set up a similar facility for my last master."

Spike paused to consider this. "And where is the clan housed? How do you stop them from sampling when they feel peckish?"

Wilson looked aghast. "The clan is housed upstairs, on the main level. There are several male and one female dormitory there. Of course, the most favoured of the clan have quarters on the top floor. I have a small room there. Only those with business here are welcome in the basement. The punishment for disobeying such restrictions is severe."


	16. Chapter 16

**_This is a story involving two realities. The Buffy and Spike we all know and love will be written about in Arial - _****Like this. ****_The other Buffy and Spike will be written in Comic Sans_********– ****Like this****_._**

**__**

**Chapter 16 – Late Saturday and Sunday, Alternative Reality**

Having reached the underground garage, they picked up the van they had used previously. Buffy climbed in the back and found something to hold onto. The last thing she wanted right then was to sit down. There was no sign of pursuit. Buffy was worried. Something had happened to Spike's chip. She didn't know what or how, but it wasn't working. She had always known it would happen eventually, she just hadn't realised she would feel so upset by it. He was fair game again, it was her duty to stake him. But she didn't want to. 

When he walked into her room at the base, she had been drawn to him. She had wanted him to hold her and make everything better. She'd have been glad to see Oz too – he was familiar and would also have meant rescue, but her reaction to Spike was different. As soon as she'd realised what she'd done, she'd drawn back, remembering who and what she was holding on to. But she'd already recognised something about her feelings. Right then, she needed him to love her, to give her back the self-esteem that Riley had ripped from her. She almost smiled at the incongruity of what she had been thinking - that Riley had actually driven her into Spike's arms even for a few seconds. 

Spike had hovered close to her the whole way. His demon face had been in evidence throughout. She watched him closely, but he made no attempt to hurt anyone. She realised he probably didn't recognise the significance of what he had done. Still, she had to tell Oz. She had to, but she didn't want to. She wanted to give him the chance to prove that it wasn't only the chip holding him in check all this time. She was glad to have a busy mind. It made her pain less incapacitating. It allowed her to forget, at least for the moment, the humiliation she had suffered.

Spike wasn't thinking clearly at all. He was as out of control as he had been in a long time. The scent of the woman he loved, in pain and afraid was still with him. It was less intense now, but he could still sense it. It enraged him as nothing else ever had. His hearing and smell were at their peak and he constantly checked the surrounding area for a threat.

Oz watched Spike throughout the drive. He had spotted Spike's ability to hit the guard without his chip zapping him. Unlike Buffy, he knew, or at least guessed what had happened. The shock Spike had taken destroying the power supply must have fried his chip. Oz was wary, but not concerned yet. Spike showed no sign of wishing harm to anyone other than those responsible for hurting Buffy. Although he showed it in a different way, Oz understood that. He knew he would react similarly if faced with the same situation.

As the van stopped close to where their own was hidden, Buffy crept closer to Oz.

"There's something I've got to tell you," she began, hesitantly.

"I know," Oz replied. "The chip's no longer operational. It must've got fried when he reprogrammed the power plant."

Buffy looked confused.

"I'll explain later."

"But, shouldn't we"

"What, restrain him? Stake him?"

Buffy looked down, feeling sick. That was exactly what she had meant.

"Let's see what happens," Oz replied. "Remember when you came, Chakka checked you out? He didn't pick up any ill-will from Spike. If it had been there, even held in check by the chip, he would have picked it up."

Buffy was unconvinced. 

Spike had heard the conversation. As he listened, his face at last reverted to his human one. He was confused. "What're you two babbling about? Of course the chip's still working. I've still got a headache from the last time it zapped me."

"You hit that man on the way out, don't you remember? No head holding after. The chip didn't react." Buffy felt she had to spell it out for him.

Realisation dawned on Spike's face. He had been so intent on getting Buffy away, that nothing else had filtered through. 

Getting into the back of their own van, Buffy realised she would have to sit down and did so gingerly, trying not to grimace. Spike noticed and was immediately at her side. "What's wrong? Can I help?" he asked.

"N..nothing," Buffy replied, suddenly uncomfortable with his proximity. She had come to accept him being close, like the other day when she invited him into her bedroom while she looked at the diaries. She remembered that and felt sadness when she realised she could never trust him like that again.

Spike was still concerned. Quietly, he said to her, "Pet, please tell me what he did. I know he hurt you and I know you were scared. I can smell things like that on a human, you especially. Maybe I can help."

Buffy was instantly defensive. She had no intention of telling anyone – least of all Spike - about her humiliation at the hands of someone she had trusted in her own reality. She reddened at the memory, her eyes going involuntarily to the belt Spike wore in his jeans, and she shuddered. She didn't think she could ever tell anyone what happened.

Spike watched her closely. He wanted to put his arm around her and make her feel safe. Whatever Riley had done, it had obviously hurt Buffy more than physically. Then he smiled slightly. Anyone watching him would have missed it. He had just realised there was nothing to stop him making sure Riley endured everything he had meted out to Buffy – and a bit more besides. It was just as well that he had some consolation, because Buffy's attitude told him he had lost every bit of ground he had made with her in the past. "Well," he thought. "I've got time. I'll just have to show her all over again."

Arriving back at the cave complex, Buffy found she was suddenly considered a hero. As she walked in, several people patted her on her back. This was the last thing she wanted. She needed some time alone. The one thing that pleased her was meeting Willow. Even though Willow really didn't know her, Buffy still considered her a friend. The only one she had, now that Spike was unrestrained. Jenny welcomed them back and arranged for someone to tend Spike's bullet wound. She took Buffy to a large cavern she hadn't seen before. It had makeshift beds scattered on the floor. 

"This is where the women sleep while they're here. We let you and Spike use the other place before, but I thought you'd prefer this, now. Am I right.?" Oz had obviously filled her in on Spike's change of status.

Buffy nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Jenny offered. "How about a doctor? You're walking like you're in pain."

Buffy was close to tears. "No, I'll be fine. Slayer healing and all that. What I'd really like is some time on my own?"

Jenny nodded her understanding. "It'll be quiet here for a couple of hours. That ok?" When Buffy agreed, she pointed to a bed in the corner which was currently unallocated.

Gratefully, Buffy threw herself stomach down onto the bed. When she had heard Jenny's receding footsteps, she started to cry. The tears were tears of anger and humiliation as well as of pain. Before long she had cried herself to sleep.

Spike felt the loss of Buffy's trust acutely. He'd never really had her unequivocal trust, but he'd had something. Now he had nothing, and he was surprised how much it hurt.

At the Initiative base, some semblance of order had at last been restored. Riley was in a rage. Not only had the demon detectors all ceased to work, not only had Buffy been kidnapped, but the video of his last time with her was missing. He had stopped in his office and placed it on his desk. He hadn't locked it away because there was an apparent emergency, but he had left it among a pile of other identical looking tapes so it wouldn't stand out. His only consolation was that Spike would pay. Buffy had been close to seeing the error of her ways. He knew she must be. Now Spike had her again, all his good work would be undone.

He was actually surprised that Spike had bothered to rescue her. Demons couldn't feel something as human as loyalty, let alone love. But he had seen the security tapes. He had no doubt as to the identity of the black clad vampire. In the meantime, he had to get away. He'd been at the base without a break since his return. He badly needed some time away. He badly needed to get drunk. Most of all, he needed a cure for the way he felt each time he remembered how it had felt to have Buffy completely at his mercy. To know that she would soon be begging him for his mercy and his forgiveness. To know that she would soon be begging for him. That was an itch he couldn't scratch for himself. He left his office and headed out.

When he realised Riley had gone, Brian Wakefield sighed with relief. He was a very junior member of Initiative staff. It had been his job to watch the live feed of the girl Finn was keeping in the detention suite. He had instinctively liked her, and he had known that Finn's motivations were personal. He didn't know the details, but he knew. When he found that the most recent tape was missing from his station, he knew where it must be. Using the chaos caused by the rescue attempt as cover, he had gone to Finn's office and found the tape. He had spotted it immediately, after all, it was his job to look after those tapes. He didn't know what was on the tape, but he knew it would tell him what he needed to know. 

Riley was drunk. It had taken a lot to achieve that particular state. The chemicals, which increased his strength and decreased his perception of pain, also speeded up his metabolic rate so that it was actually hard for him to get or remain drunk. The bar was a particularly sleazy one. He had chosen it because it matched his mood. It was dark and smoky inside. The other patrons eyed each other warily. It seemed like trouble could break out at any moment. Riley wished it would. He would really enjoy the chance to hit someone now, but didn't want to be accused of starting anything. 

He was suddenly aware he was not alone. A woman had sat next to him, leaning close. He turned to look at her. She was petite and blonde, with blue eyes. Her hair reached her shoulders in soft curls. Letting his eyes rove lower, he recognised other similarities. It would be easy to pretend with her. With his eyes closed, she could be Buffy. The thought of Buffy set him off again, and he was on the verge of losing what little control he had managed to achieve. She was smiling hopefully at him.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked her.

"Yes, please," she replied.

The woman said her name was Paula and claimed to be out celebrating the end of her latest relationship. Her ex-lover had been found in bed with her best friend, and she had decided to move on. Riley let her talk, not really listening. He just grunted sympathetically when appropriate. When, several drinks later, she asked Riley if he'd take her home, he agreed readily. Once in her flat, she produced a bottle of whisky and they both drank some more. Riley didn't want more to drink, kissing her, running his hands down her body, he could persuade himself that it was the right body. He hadn't spotted the extra additive which went into only his glass, and it wasn't long before he was snoring peacefully on her sofa.

When she was sure he was asleep, Paula disentangled herself from Riley. "Pity," she thought, "it might have been nice to let things develop a little further. But business is business." She had pulled the same con before. She had a distinct advantage in that respect. She wasn't human, and her particular metabolism meant that alcohol had absolutely no effect on her. She made a telephone call, and five minutes later, two men arrived and carried Riley to a waiting car. 

Sunday morning dawned, and Buffy woke. Those around her were still asleep. She was surprised she had slept. Her watch told her it was 6 o'clock. She wasn't even aware that she had dreamed. There were some crude toilets and washing facilities off the women's dormitory, and Buffy took advantage of that to have a wash and to check the damage. Her healing ability ensured that she felt more comfortable than she should. She had considerable tenderness left in the area, and from what she could see, there was some fairly obvious bruising, but she hoped even that would be gone by the next day. Finding her way to the hub of the complex, she found everything quiet. There were a few people and demons manning the phones, but that was all. She found a seat in a quiet corner and sat down to think.

She thought about the Riley she had known. He was such a gentle soul. He would never have hurt her. She knew that. Yet, her recent experience with this other Riley had reminded her of things about her' Riley. The Riley of this reality had obviously been abused by his father – not sexually, perhaps – but physically. Her' Riley had never talked about his father. In all the time she had spent with him, he had never been mentioned beyond the merest passing reference. He never went home. Yes, he went back to Iowa, but not to see his parents. She'd asked him once. Thinking back to that day, she remembered the bleak expression on his face as he told her he wasn't on good terms with them. She'd just accepted that not all kids have as good a relationship with their parents as she did with her mom. Now she wondered if her' Riley was similarly abused. She didn't know why, but she found she believed he was. But if so, why were the two Riley's so different? That was a puzzle.

Thinking of puzzles, she thought about Spike. He had seemed unchanged by the lack of electronic restraint. She really didn't know what she had been expecting. It had always been in the back of her mind that the chip would fail eventually, and she had always dreaded that day. At first, she had dreaded it simply because she recognised that Spike was one of the few vampires she knew who was capable of killing her. She had known that from the first. Angel had warned her, but even without that, she would have known. They were so well-matched physically, it would never be possible to bet with certainty on the outcome of a fight between them.

Just before she died, she had come to rely on Spike as an ally. She didn't think of him as a friend then, but he hadn't been an enemy either. Since her return, things had changed again. She realised she had started to care about him. He became her confidant for those things she couldn't share elsewhere. Some time after she came back, he became a friend. She was shocked to even consciously be thinking that. He had become a friend. Why else had she slit her own wrist for him? And now, he was unrestrained again. 

She wondered how long it would be before he killed again, whether he had killed already. No, she would have heard if he had been feeding already. She wondered what could make the difference. What had made the difference with Riley? How did one of them turn out so decent, while the other was so wrong? She didn't know, but she suddenly realised she might be able to make the difference with Spike. Maybe, if she believed in him, he might be able to continue to deny his nature. She just hoped she hadn't left it too late.

When he came into the hub an hour later, Buffy approached him. "Hey, Spike," she started.

He looked at her suspiciously. "What's this, checkin' to see if I've been feeding? Lookin' to see if there's blood on me chin?" As always, his pain made him defensive, his body taut with it.

"No, Spike, it's just, I wanted to say, thanks for coming after me. I'm glad it was you I saw first. Somehow, that made a difference. Made me feel safer."

Spike relaxed a little. He had expected her to keep out of his way or to pick a fight with him. 

"Well, ok," he answered. "Look, Buffy, about the chip. It's just, look, I can't promise. It's goin' to take some getting used to, and I'm not planning on going back to killing. But whatever happens, remember, I love you. I won't do anything to hurt you. I won't even hurt Xander when we get back because I know that would hurt you. Well, at least I promise I won't hurt him too much. I've got some catching up to do, after all. But Riley's fair game. After what he did to you,.."

Buffy was startled. How did he know? Spike saw her reaction.

"No, I don't know the details, and I won't pry any more. If you don't trust me enough to tell me, then I'll just have to try harder to earn that trust. What I mean is, I sensed the result of what he did. You can hide it from the others, but not from me. I'll always know when you're hurting." As he spoke, his hand ached to push a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, but he was afraid that could be misinterpreted.

Buffy looked at the sincerity on his face, and knew she had made the right decision. 

"Spike, I've been thinking. I'm sorry about how I reacted yesterday when I knew your chip was useless. I should have trusted my own instincts from the first. I trusted you while you were chipped. You haven't changed. I know you'll have to go on fighting your demon, but that might be easier with a friend to help. Would it?"

Spike looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you want it, if it'll help, you've got my friendship, for what it's worth."

Spike grinned, a genuinely happy grin. "Slayer, that's worth a lot. Shake on it?" 

Buffy smiled back. They shook hands. She had made the first step. She didn't know where it would lead. He still loved her, and she didn't know if she could ever return that feeling, but she had eventually admitted that she cared. Together, they went off in search of some breakfast.

Riley woke to terror. It was dark, but not completely so. There was no light source there, but sunlight filtered in from outside. He knew where he was. He had thought he had escaped forever, but he was back. He was in the garden shed. He was home. How had that happened? He hadn't been home for years. Not since he'd had the chance to go away to school. 

Suddenly, he was twelve years old again. In this shed, he'd always be twelve years old. This was where his father put him to contemplate his coming punishment. Soon, he knew, his father would come. He could just make out the lines of the stool he would be forced to lean over. He didn't know what he had done wrong this time, but then he had rarely understood in advance. Daddy would make it clear when he had finished. Then he would be forgiven. He heard a sound, a small whimper of terror, and was shocked to realise it had come from him. 

Unseen by Riley, the camera in the corner of the replica shed transmitted to the room outside. There, a stranger had been monitoring him. Now that he was conscious, he reported the fact to his superior. No action was to be taken yet. "Let him sweat it out a bit longer," were the exact words.

In the hub, efforts had begun to disseminate the information they had gathered on recent happenings in Sunnydale. To their delight, deaths overnight had been significantly reduced. Whoever was behind the scheme was obviously becoming worried. Details were sent to anyone who might be able to help. Most importantly, they were sent out to Jack Singer, a well known investigative journalist. His show was seen all over the country. He had uncovered all sorts of scandals before, and the resistance hoped that, if no one else could, he could at least make sure the authorities investigated for themselves.

In the meantime, efforts to keep the detectors out of commission would have to continue. It wasn't clear how long the effects of the first doping of air conditioning would work, but it was agreed that it should be continued on a rolling basis – no longer hitting everywhere at once, but hitting a few buildings every day. 


	17. Chapter 17

****

Chapter 17 – Sunday, Standard Reality

As he returned to Buffy's in the early hours of the morning, Spike thought about what he had learned. As he watched, more people had been brought in. The pens now seemed full. There was obviously some sort of rota in place, as some pens were visited by the vampires in white coats so that blood could be drained from the occupants. Others were left alone. He could feel the waves of fear and despair from the occupants. There had been a time when those feelings would have excited him. Now when he looked at those poor souls, he only saw Buffy. "What was it," he wondered, "about humans? You fall in love with one, and the rest of the species gets in on the act. I can't help but care about the rest of them. And it's going to get me into a whole lot of trouble."

Xander had been out late too. He had spent some time going round the local demon haunts. He just hoped he was recognised as a friend of the Slayer, because he knew most of the patrons could do him some serious damage. He had been lucky. He'd even heard some news. Willy had had some recent arrivals in earlier. They were drunk and boasted that their master had come to take over Sunnydale. Then they said that other local vampires were joining their cause and described Spike well. They said he'd come to deliver the Slayer.

Xander went home feeling both sick and triumphant at the same time. He had always known that Spike was only biding his time, waiting for the right opportunity. Now he knew he was right.

Buffy heard Spike come back in. She hadn't slept much all night and she was very relieved to see him. He wouldn't have known that from his greeting, though. She sat up in bed watching him undress with a face which showed her anger very clearly. When he tried to get in beside her, she pushed him away, finally losing control of her anger. He hit the wall and she moved towards him. 

"What did you think you were doing? I thought you were gone forever. Or in that sunroom. How could you do that to me?" 

Each sentence was punctuated with a punch to any part of him she could reach. Even after she stopped berating him, she continued punching. Spike's only reaction was to defend himself. As the punches became more and more feeble, he saw her eyes fill with tears. He wondered how he could ever have thought her having human friends could change her feelings for him. He pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. He eased them both into bed and held her tight as she cried out her relief. When the tears stopped, she kissed him, wanting him all the more because she had feared him lost.

It was some time later when they spoke about what he had found. "No lamp, yet, pet. Didn't see that. So I've got to go back tonight. I saw the stock pens. There're hundreds down there. They're going to start their breeding programme soon. Even planning on using chemicals to make sure they've got no problems with shagging. It's awful." His face was bleak as he remembered.

"They've got them all partly sedated, so it's eerily quiet, but they're scared. You can feel their fear. The pens're in the basement, and the communal parts are at ground level. Above is where the private quarters are. Thing is, it's worse than I thought. He wants you. He wants to turn you, and six other Slayers. Sounds like he's made some sort of deal. Seven's a kind of mystical number. Whatever he's doing, it's worse that turning you and six others. He's on some sort of timetable, though, he wants you taken within the week. I've told him I can deliver you. It's the only thing I could think of, the only thing that'd give me an in." He paused, looking into her eyes, suddenly unsure. "You know I'd never hurt you?"

This last was a question. He needed reassurance that she understood. Buffy smiled as she disentangled herself from him so she could see his face better. She knew. He'd had so many opportunities to hurt her, and each time he had brought her nothing but joy.

Xander was at Buffy's bright and early the next morning with his news. So early, in fact that everyone in the house was still in bed when he arrived. Dawn got to the door first, surprised to see him. He told her he had to speak to Buffy right away, and Dawn went to get her sister.

Five minutes later, Buffy came downstairs, closely followed by Willow who had overheard Dawn calling Buffy. Both had thrown on some clothes, and quickly dragged brushes through their hair. They thought it must be important for Xander to disturb them so early. He was sitting on the edge of his chair when they came into the lounge, eagerly waiting to pass on his information. He had promised himself he would be sensitive to Buffy's feelings, but when the time came, he failed dismally.

"I was right," he began. Buffy didn't immediately understand what he meant, but Willow did.

"You mean you found out what Spike was doing?" she asked.

"Exactly," Xander went on. "I spoke to Willy. He's had some of the newcomers in recently. He heard them boasting that Spike was going to hand the Slayer over to their master." He turned to Buffy. "I know this must be a shock to you, but…"

Buffy looked quite calm. "It isn't," she told him.

At that instant, Spike came in, his shirt unbuttoned. He had tried to sleep, but in the end, curiosity overcame him. He'd overheard Xander from the hallway. As he entered, Xander jumped out, whipping a stake from one pocket and a bottle, which Spike assumed held Holy Water, from the other. 

"He's back!" Xander spluttered. "Of all the nerve. You're not welcome here any more. I know what you've been up to. I know what you've promised."

Spike smiled. It was a smile Buffy knew well, although she hadn't seen it for a while. "Buffy knows exactly what I've been up to," he walked closer to Xander as he spoke. "I told her everything." 

Xander had opened the bottle and seemed to be planning to throw it, when Buffy's words filtered through.

"Y..you know?" he looked confused.

"Yeah," Spike was now close enough to Xander to touch him. "I told you. I told her. It was the only way I could get in there and still get out to give you the information. I told Buffy when I got back."

Xander flopped back on the chair, as if suddenly deflated. He looked at Willow for support.

She decided to stick to business. "What did you find out, then?" Spike told them, and waited for a reaction.

"So," Xander persisted, "when have you agreed to hand Buffy over to Dominic? Or are you keeping that quiet?"

"There isn't a plan, yet, and it won't go that far. Once I can get the lamp, I won't go back. But, I need to go back tonight."

It was obvious that Xander wasn't convinced. It was equally obvious that Buffy was. He made one last attempt to convince his friend. 

"He'll hand you over. I know he will. He doesn't love you – he can't. Our Buffy knew that. I don't know why you can't see it." 

He looked sad. He honestly felt as if he was trying to stop her from dying, and it broke his heart that he had to. Willow gave nothing away.

As he walked towards the door, Willow joined him. "Can you come round later?" he asked her.

She nodded her answer. In truth she hadn't decided whether she believed Spike or not.

Sarah was awake. Well, it was daytime, that's what humans did. She'd been moved the day after she arrived. She didn't know why, but she hadn't had to give blood again since she was moved. There were only women and girls in this area. She was among the youngest, but they were all scared. They had been given an injection that morning, and the desperation in the pen had risen all day. She didn't know any of the other women in her pen or those surrounding hers. 

She thought back to the previous night. There had been someone shown around. There was something different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly. All the others she saw were either 'doctors' or they looked at the captives as nothing so much as a herd of animals. She realised what the difference was. The one she saw last night, the one dressed in black, had made eye contact with her. He had acknowledged something in her the others never did. She didn't know why, but she knew he could be trusted.

Spike had gone back to bed. He knew he had to be rested for later, and he had to think. The sooner he could get what they needed, the safer Buffy would be, and for him, that was the priority.

Buffy had decided to spend the day checking out the warehouse. She was hoping she could spot something in daylight she hadn't seen in the dark. She felt physically sick when she thought of Spike having to go back there tonight, and any advantage she could give him would be a bonus.

The main entrance seemed deserted. Out of curiosity, she tried the door and found it unlocked. Leaving the doorway, she started to walk around its perimeter looking for anything that might be useful. She had reached the fence around the loading bay, and scaled it easily. Checking the area, she was glad to see there were no cameras. She spotted what looked like a ventilation grill. Judging by its height, it must be somewhere between the basement and ground floors. Hoping that the bright sunlight outside would keep her safe, she approached looking for a way to remove it. Ideally, it would take a screwdriver, but she didn't normally carry one of those. She checked her handbag and found a metal nailfile. She had always wondered why they were always part of nail care sets when everyone she knew used emery board to file their nails. 

She tried it and it worked. Soon she had undone all the screws and she pulled out the cover. Listening carefully, every sense extended, she paused. When she was as sure as she could be, she clambered into the shaft. She crawled along, as quietly as she could. It was a tight fit. She shuffled forward, the direction downwards, thanking her other self for her dress sense. The jeans she was wearing were so much more suitable for this than anything she herself routinely wore. Reaching another grill, she peered through. She could just make out an area the other side. The other grill was just outside one of the pens. She could see the occupants of the pen, apparently drowsing. Remembering what Spike had told her, she assumed it was a result of their sedation.

Checking the grill, she noted this one didn't seem to be held in place by screws. Pushing at it gently, it moved, and Buffy froze, suddenly afraid she had been heard. When she was sure there was no apparent reaction from inside, she pushed a little further. The grill must now be sitting proud of its fitting, but still seemed secure. She didn't know if it would help, but it might provide an emergency exit. To mark it, she found a piece of paper in her pocket and pushed it into the grill. 

Continuing her shuffle through the shaft, she found a further three such grills. They were all designed in the same way, and each time, she pushed it a little, and put some paper in the grill. Satisfied she could do no more there, she backed through the shaft. Once outside, she replaced the grill, but didn't fasten the screws completely. She hoped it wouldn't be necessary for Spike to come out that way, especially as it was such a tight fit for her. He might not be able to fit at all.

Continuing her search of the loading bay, she found the fire escape ladder. It led to the roof. Again, glad of the sunshine, she climbed to the top. There was one doorway there, apparently leading up some stairs from the upper floor. She didn't get too close, as she saw shadows passing the glass door and assumed that this close to the master's quarters, there would be guards. Climbing back to the ground, she found nothing else that seemed of value. She had hoped for more.

Willow arrived at Xander's later to find her friend pacing. Anya told her he'd been doing it since he came back. Taking a seat, Willow was relieved when Xander also sat, although again on the edge of his seat. 

"So, you believe me, don't you? You know we've got to save Buffy from herself."

Willow looked grim. "I'm not sure," she started. "You may be right, but Buffy's convinced too. She's been with Spike a long time. I can't help thinking he wouldn't have stayed if he didn't really care. But, I know, he hasn't got a soul, and …."

"Even if you're not convinced, we can't take the chance. We can't give him the opportunity to prove me right. Don't you see, we've got to assume I'm right, until he can prove me wrong?"

"Ok, you're right." Willow didn't sound happy. "How come I feel I'm betraying my friend even saying that? But what can we do?"

"We can bring the whole thing forward a bit," Xander told her. "I need you to give me something that'll let me in there without being spotted. I'll get the lamp and get out. I've got some explosive set aside already. If we can get the people out, we can blow the place up."

Willow was worried. She knew a spell which might have the effect he wanted. It would certainly make him invisible, but it wouldn't mask his smell. But she wasn't doing magic, and Tara couldn't do this one. It was too complex, and relied too heavily on dark forces she knew Tara avoided. Looking at Xander's hopeful face, she realised she had to do it. If she didn't, in his current state, he'd try it without her help, and that would be certain disaster.

"Ok," she said, "but you've got to be careful. The spell will make you invisible, but they'll still smell you. I'm just hoping that all those captives will make another human smell less remarkable. Just remember not to get too close."

Willow wrote a list of the supplies she needed, and Anya went to the shop to collect them. Xander still couldn't sit still, and continued to pace. Willow needed time to meditate and had fled to the bedroom to try to get some peace.

An hour later they were ready to begin. Xander stood in the middle of a circle inscribed in sand in the centre of the floor. Willow had sprinkled him with a number of powders from jars Anya had brought, without explaining what she was doing. When she was happy, she stood back and looked. "Xander, are you sure about this?"

For once lost for words, he just nodded. His heart was racing and he knew he had to calm himself or that alone would give him away. Willow started to chant. He couldn't make out the words. Everything seemed a blur. He forgot Anya standing behind him, his attention only for the woman in front of him, her eyes darkening and her hair somehow seeming to glow. He didn't know how long it had been, but suddenly there was a shift around him – as though the world had been badly edited, and Willow looked like herself again. She was looking towards him uncertainly. 

"Didn't work, eh?" he said, almost relieved.

"Xander," she sounded excited. "It did work. I can't see you. Where's your hand, let me hold it."

Uncertainly, Xander held out his hand, amused to see that Willow's didn't move towards his. He grasped her hand in his, and she smiled. Turning to his girlfriend, he walked to her and gave her a kiss. "Take me to the warehouse?" he asked.

Buffy had returned home. She spent the time while Spike was asleep on the many little jobs that seemed to have built up around the house these last few days. She also had to get things ready for Dawn who was going on a residential course with school the next morning. When she heard the shower upstairs turn on, she went up. 

Waiting in her room for Spike to come back, she looked through the drawers, wondering if her other self kept a diary. She missed writing in hers each day. It had been her companion when she had no others. She didn't find one, but she found a photograph. It was at the bottom of a drawer, but the two faces were unmistakable. It was her, or at least the other Buffy and Riley Finn. They had their arms around each other. It looked to be a party of some sort, but there they were, entwined with each other. A shiver ran down her spine. The Riley she knew had always made her feel uncomfortable. 

When he returned, wrapped only in a towel, Buffy smiled. She showed Spike what she had been looking at. "What's up, love, think you made the wrong choice?" He was walking towards her, shoulders rolling, his manner almost, but not quite threatening. "What do you think?" she answered him, reaching out for the towel, and dropping it to the floor. They didn't say anything else for a while.

At the warehouse, Willow and Anya had stayed in the car, around the corner from the entrance. Xander approached the main door and opened it carefully. He stood just inside, hoping he hadn't been heard, before slowly moving away. He walked along a corridor, which was deserted except for a couple of large, well-muscled vampires lounging half way along. Checking doors right and left as he walked, Xander got the impression that most of the occupants were asleep in communal dormitories as Spike had intimated. 

Skirting around the guards, he reached the end of the corridor and went into a large space which held about a dozen vampires lounging around, chatting. He didn't know what he expected, but Xander didn't really expect to see anything so … ordinary. 

He wandered around the area looking for anything that might be useful. He had just decided to look for some stairs, when he spotted a door. It should have been a cupboard, but he decided to check. There was no one in sight, and he eased the door open. He went in and looked around. The room was small, it probably had been intended as a cupboard, but he knew this was what he'd been looking for. There was a pole in the centre of the room, manacles hanging from it, and the walls were flanked with fluorescent tubes. 

Surprised, Xander looked carefully. They were standard tubes manufactured by a well-known company. The only difference from the ones at use in thousands of homes and shops was that these were designed to match colour accurately. They were designated 'daylight equivalent' and had model number. Realising he could get more of these easily, he simply memorised the model number, then crept out of the room. He made his way back the way he had come. He got almost within touching distance of the main door, and was just congratulating himself on success, when the world lurched again, and he blacked out. 

In the car, Willow had blacked out at the same instant Xander did. She had realised shortly after he had gone, that the spell was draining her faster than she had thought, but it was too late to call him back. Every moment he was gone, Willow was in an agony of concentration, desperate to maintain the illusion of invisibility. In the end, her body had rebelled, and she had fainted.

Anya immediately panicked. She shook the witch, calling her name desperately. When she came around and remembered what had happened, Willow started to cry. She knew Xander had become visible at the instant she had lost control. Unsure what else she could do, Anya drove a distraught Willow home to Buffy's. Leaving Willow in the car, Anya went straight in to find Dawn watching TV.

"He's gone. They've got him. You've got to get Buffy to help him. They'll kill him."

Dawn didn't understand, and was on her way to get her 'sister' when Buffy came down. It took several attempts before Anya made Buffy understand what had happened. When she realised Willow was still in the car, Dawn called Tara who came to help bring the witch indoors. Tara was shocked that Willow had used magic at all, but when she heard exactly what she'd done, she was beside herself. She kept her thoughts to herself for then, but only until Xander was safe. Tara promised herself that she had to do something about Willow after that.

Spike had taken his time coming down. He had heard Anya's voice, but not what she'd said. He'd assumed Xander was there too and didn't want another run in with him. When Dawn called Tara, he realised something was up and he had dressed and come downstairs. Buffy filled him in on what had happened. Anya had been getting more hysterical by the minute, and was now shouting at Buffy.

"You've got to go and get him. It's your fault he did this. He had to show you. And now he's going to die, and …" Her words tailed off as tears came. Tara gently guided her to a chair.

Spike realised he had to say something, but he couldn't offer much hope.

"I'm going in again tonight, and if I can help him, I will. But, we've got to carry on with the main plan. We can't let him jeopardise it any further – assuming he hasn't blown my cover already." 

Buffy knew he was right. At that minute, she could gladly have throttled Xander. If he had blown Spike's cover ….. She shivered at the prospect. She was unhappy about him going in again anyway but had reconciled herself to its being necessary. Now the risks were increased, and she was angry.

When Xander came to, he found himself in a pen, with another eight men. As he looked at one of them, he heard him say, "Welcome to Hell."

It was after nine when Spike left. It was earlier than he normally went out, but, he hoped, not too early to arouse suspicion. Buffy held him, not wanting to let him go as he stood by the door. "Come back safe," she told him. Anya had gone home a couple of hours earlier, Tara agreeing to stay with her. Willow had gone to her room. She hadn't spoken since they got back, and the sound of her sobbing had been heard periodically all evening. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 – Monday, Alternate Reality**

It was a standard Monday morning when Jack Singer arrived at his office. He greeted his assistant, and went to his desk. He pulled out the files on the things he was currently investigating, putting them around his desk in the order of priority he had given them, There was nothing really interesting there. Still, he couldn't hope to always have the sort of juicy stories which had made his name.

Logging onto the Internet, he checked his Email. There was the usual list of suggestions from the general public – most of which would be completely off the wall. As he skimmed through his inbox, his assistant came in with a cup of coffee. She always enjoyed looking through the sillier suggestions people sent him and watched as he worked.

"You know, things get crazier every day. Look at this, abduction by aliens, abduction by underwater creatures, crop circles, I've seen it all before. Wait, though, this one's different. Not any more likely, but different. Demons, vampires, and a scheme to sell organs for transplant – do people really think I'm that gullible?"

Behind him, Cordelia had gasped softly. He looked at her, wondering why she had reacted. He looked at the note again. "Wait, you're from California, aren't you? Where abouts?"

"Sunnydale," she replied, still looking at the note on the screen.

"That's where this one's from. They say there were demons and vampires running around Sunnydale and that recently they've all been killed, but that there's now a scheme to blame the demons for deaths so someone can harvest organs. How do you like that description of your home town?"

Cordelia didn't answer immediately. She had never talked about her home. Leaving as soon as she could, she'd wanted nothing more to do with the place after several of her friends had been killed by vampires. She realised Jack was looking at her, still waiting for an answer.

"I'd say it sounds like the Sunnydale I remember – at least as far as the demons are concerned. As to the rest, I'm not sure."

Jack was surprised. He had always thought Cordelia was as straightforward as they come. She had a down to earth attitude that meshed well with his own. That was why they made a good team. He didn't understand why she was giving credence to the whole idea. Seeing that she was serious, he motioned for her to sit down.

"Tell me about Sunnydale," he said.

Brian Wakefield worked at the Initiative base at weekends, staying over at night when he had a long shift. There was plenty of room now that the operation had been scaled down. During the week, he was a student at UC Sunnydale. The job paid well, and even though he knew it was strictly temporary, he was glad of the money. In recent weeks, he hadn't had much to do. Everything was quiet, the base down to a few cleaning and clerical staff. His job until this weekend was to monitor security screens around the base. It was boring, but that didn't matter. It wasn't as if he was going to be doing it for the rest of his life. 

This weekend had been different. The CO had come back with a few other military types and he'd been moved to monitoring a prisoner. He'd been told she was a demon, and that she could lead the Initiative to the resistance movement which provided succour to the last of the local demons. What he'd seen, watching the girl, made it obvious that was a lie. If he'd had any doubts at all, the conversation he'd overheard between Finn and the doctor had proved it. She was human, and she'd been badly treated. He'd brought the tape home with him, glad he always carried a bag of reading material to work to study during meal breaks. No one bothered to check his bag any more.

Fitting the tape into his player, he had watched. The display sickened him. He had always known that Finn was not a man to be thwarted, but this was wrong. Now, all he had to do was make sure the tape got into the right hands. But who was that? Finn's commanding officer? No, that would make it public. The girl didn't deserve to have her humiliation made public. The conversation on the tape told him who needed to have it. Riley made it clear that the girl was involved with the resistance and implied that she was sleeping with the vampire – he assumed the same one who had rescued her. He obviously loved her. He had taken a huge risk in coming to get her. It was strange, working here, he had been led to believe that vampires were uncontrollable killers. This one had come in and rescued the girl without really hurting anyone. And the girl didn't seem to fear him. But how could he get the tape to him? And could he keep it safe until he had a chance to hand it over?

On Monday morning, he arrived for classes preoccupied with his own thoughts. He overheard some of his friends talking about a meeting due to be held later in the day. Some students had found something going on and were going to let the others know. He smiled. Another cause, another reason to protest, and no one would really be interested. Still, he thought, it's always funny to hear what others find important.

Riley had had an awful night. Of course, he didn't realise it had been night. He'd fought to remain awake, knowing it would be worse for him if his father caught him napping. The wait always seemed interminable, his fear of the coming punishment growing with every passing moment. When he had escaped from home, he had realised that the waiting had made everything worse. It was knowing what was to come that made the pain more acute, the fear and dread heightening the physical sensation. Now he was back in the shed, and all rational thought was gone. He only knew he needed to earn forgiveness. He heard a hissing sound and turned to see what it was, but knew no more as the anaesthetic gas entered his system and he collapsed on the floor.

When he awoke, he was strapped to a chair. In front of him was a man he'd never seen before. The memory of his recent terror was still with him. His heart was racing and sweat ran down his face and back. His breathing was ragged and he was totally confused. This wasn't what he had expected. His father had obviously devised an even worse punishment than the usual beating. 

Red Cross stood in front of him and looked at him pityingly. "He really is a wreck. Still, that's what we want," he thought. It was his background which made this man so potentially useful. He had been moulded to do the job he had been given. He needed someone who was totally driven to succeed. And until recently, he had thought he was the right choice. Now, because of him, his carefully designed operation had suffered a significant set back. It was not beyond repair, however, and that was why Riley Finn had been brought here.

"You've failed, haven't you? Your father told me you would fail, told me you would let me down. And he was right, wasn't he?"

Riley looked up aghast. "N..no, I can do it. I know I can. Let me have another try. I'll do it this time."

The stranger smiled, disbelief in his eyes. "Why should I believe you? We gave you everything you needed. You were so close. There was just one last job to do – to finish off the resistance movement. Yet within days of going back to Sunnydale, the whole scheme had suffered its most severe set back. There are humans in league with the demons of Sunnydale and they are planning to let the world know what's going on. What are you going to do about it?"

Riley was struggling to think. He had to come up with something, but his brain was sluggish. The man nodded in understanding.

"Yes, I was right, you don't know how to fix this, do you? Well, perhaps we should just send you home. I'm sure your father will know what to do with you."

"NO!" Riley shouted. "I need time, I just need time. I'll do it. I will, just give me the chance." He knew he was begging, but he couldn't go home. For him, nothing at home had changed. He wasn't able to see that no one could keep him there any more. 

"Very well, I suppose we could give you one more chance. Of course, you'll have to earn it first."

As he spoke, two men entered the room, unstrapped him from the chair and dragged him away. He should have been able to get away, he knew he should, but his struggles seemed feeble and made no difference. He was helpless. He realised somewhere in the back of his mind that it had been too long since his last shot.

Lunchtime at UC Sunnydale saw Brian at the meeting. There weren't many there. He wasn't surprised. He only went because he found it interesting to see what others got steamed up about. The speaker was a red-haired girl he'd seen around. That surprised him – she wasn't the type to do something like this. She had always seemed quiet, fairly shy. When she started to speak, it was faltering at first. As she warmed to her subject, she became more comfortable. What she was saying had Brian very interested. She was talking about a scheme to harvest organs in Sunnydale, covered up by the Initiative. Now, he knew he had an in to the resistance movement.

By the end of the meeting, there was only him left. The others had filtered out, laughing quietly to themselves about what they had heard. The whole story was patently ridiculous. Of course, Brian had a feeling it wasn't. He approached the girl. She was flushed and nervous. "Do you want to tell me how you got your information?" he asked, keeping his voice down.

She looked startled, and slightly afraid. Seeing this he added "It's ok, I'm not one of them," he realised this wasn't strictly true. "At least, I work at the Initiative base at weekends, and I know there's something funny going on. And I've got a tape I want to get to the vampire - the one who got in there to rescue he prisoner."

Ignoring the comment about the vampire for the moment, she motioned his to come over to where Xander was sitting looking completely bored. She explained what she knew. "Taking a risk, aren't you?" he started, wondering if she had any idea of the risk she was taking.

"I suppose so," she answered, looking more worried, "It's just important. Sometimes you need to do something."

"Yes, I know what you mean. About this tape – it's a video that I'd like to get to the vampire in the resistance. Can you help me?"

"Well, I don't know. It could be you just want to get him. I mean, I know Riley Finn is desperate to get his hands on him. I'm not sure he would come to meet you anyway."

Brian smiled to himself. It was just as well he was telling the truth. This girl was a liability to the Resistance. 

"Look," she said. "Give me a phone number. I can contact him, it's just a mobile phone, but it'll work. Then it's up to him to decide whether to meet you."

Buffy had kept to her word. She was trying hard not to treat Spike any differently, and she thought she was doing fairly well. Spike had roped her into helping with demon fight training. They'd spent most of the morning doing just that. It was the best thing Buffy could have done. The exercise in itself was exhilarating, and she knew she was just about back to normal. It felt good to be working alongside this vampire. They had always fought well together, and now it was even better. Having decided to end hostilities, their banter was gentler, but still there. There were still comments and complaints flying between them, but they were no longer barbed. She was still sore, and was glad she wasn't fighting Spike, as she was doing her best not to land on her back seat which were still very tender. When the session was finished, they parted to different areas of the complex to clean up.

Several hundred miles away, Cordelia Chase had finished her tale of life in Sunnydale. Jack Singer was amazed – not just by the things she'd told him, but by the way she could just tell a story filled with so many unearthly things. He had decided that this was one story that needed investigating. If things had been as Cordelia had told him, that was story enough. If there was something else going on, it was really big stuff. The attachment to the original Email contained information which certainly looked convincing.

"How do you feel about a trip home?" he asked.

When they met up later for lunch, Buffy and Spike were approached with a message. Someone had phoned wanting to talk to the vampire'. Shrugging, Spike returned the call. When he heard what was on offer, he agreed to meet the man. Buffy had heard half of the call, and was curious.

"What was that about?" she asked.

Spike wasn't sure how to tell her. Everything between them had been good this morning – better than he'd hoped. Whatever had happened to her, she seemed to have recovered. He still saw something in her eyes, a wariness when she didn't know he was looking, but otherwise she seemed back to normal. He didn't want to cause her further pain, but he decided to be truthful.

"Bloke says he's got a tape I should have. Works for Finn. Says it's a tape of your last meeting with the cardboard wonder."

Buffy had gone pale, and moved away.

"Knew it," he thought to himself. "Knew I should've kept it to myself." He didn't know how to react. His first thought was to hold her, but her body language was defensive, arms folded, head down.

After what seemed like an age, she muttered one word, "Bastard." Then she started to shake. Without thinking further, Spike moved towards her, holding her in his arms. To his relief, she didn't push him away, but held onto him, tears forming in her eyes. When she looked at him, her eyes were pleading. "We've got to get it," she whispered. "I couldn't cope if anyone else got to see it. I couldn't. I want that tape, and I want to burn it. And Spike, we do this together, ok?"

It was late afternoon when Riley came around. He was in a cheap motel room. He didn't know how he came to be there. Getting up from the bed, he groaned in pain. Slowly the memory came back. He'd been severely beaten. There was nothing to be seen when he was clothed, but almost every other part of his body was awash with pain. Funny how quickly you became used to a life without pain. Somehow it was even worse when it returned. Whoever had been responsible for his beating had ensured his vitamin supplements' were overdue before starting. Every nerve in his body felt as if it was on fire, and that was just normal withdrawal. Looking on the chair, there was a clean, pressed uniform. On top was a sheet of paper. It said simply, _One more chance. Don't fail. Next time will be worse.'_

With a sick feeling in his stomach, Riley lurched towards the bathroom, and turned on the shower. Twenty minutes later, he was dressed and walking fairly normally out of the room. His car was sitting outside. He returned to his quarters at the base. All the way there, he struggled to find some position which didn't exacerbate the pain he felt. He didn't try to fight the pain, he used it. He knew who was responsible for it. And Spike would pay. Before he left this earth, Spike would know what Hell was. And Buffy would watch.

His first stop at the base had been with the medical officer for his shot. He went to his quarters after that, intending to rest while the drugs took effect. When the withdrawal symptoms finally faded, he headed for his office. He didn't have any new leads on the resistance, but he knew someone in the base had contact with them. Someone had stolen that tape from his office, and the insurgents hadn't come that way. He walked to a corner of the room. Pulling aside the picture which hung there, he opened the compartment behind. He had taken this extra precaution to protect himself initially. When he had first been appointed, he had been concerned that his orders were in some way spurious. So he'd taken the precaution of recording meetings with his commanding officer. Later, he'd no longer worried about that detail, He'd known he was doing the right thing. He didn't know why he hadn't had the camera removed, but was glad he hadn't. It stored twenty-four hours of images only, and then recorded over. According to his estimate, he was just in time.

Pressing the review button, he realised he had only just made it. The last few frames were all that was left of the event. He could just make out who it was. He went to his computer and checked personnel records. "Good," he thought, "I think Mr. Wakefield should have a visit."

It was eight thirty. Riley sat in his car outside Brian Wakefield's flat. He'd been surprised he didn't live on campus, but it only made things easier. He knew he was at home, and he didn't care if he had to go through this ritual for days. He saw him come out and get into his car, pulling away. Riley followed.

Thirty minutes later, Brian pulled into a car park close to a beach. The area was deserted at that time of night. He hadn't spotted Riley following him, but then, he wasn't trained for that sort of thing. He was beginning to wish he had never become involved. Realising the car park would be quiet, Riley had pulled up outside at the side of the road and crept the rest of the way on foot. It was a beautiful, clear night, still warm from the day's sunshine. The moon was waning, but still gave enough light to see fairly clearly. Riley didn't notice any of it. He found a place to hide where he could see Brian's car. Ten minutes later, another car pulled in. One figure got out of the car, and Brian got out to join her.

Brian was surprised. He had expected to meet the vampire, but on balance, this was even better. He wanted only to hand over the tape and get away. No words were exchanged as he passed the package to her, her only response a shy, slightly embarrassed smile. As he turned to leave, he saw a shadow running towards them. Brian broke for his car. To his surprise, the figure ignored him completely, making for the girl. Not looking back, Brian got into his car and drove away.

Riley couldn't believe his luck. Of all the people to send, they had sent her. Launching himself at her, he was surprised when he hit the ground instead of her. She had rolled out of the way in the nick of time. No matter. He was still stronger than she was, even without the muscle relaxants. He turned for another attack, but found his hands pulled roughly behind his back. He was instantly chilled when he heard the southern English accent whisper in his ear. "Her turn, I think. I'll just hold you still."

Buffy calmly laid the parcel on the bonnet of the car. Walking towards Riley, she started to pound her fists into his chest. She instantly knew he could feel nothing, but it made her feel better. When she had had enough of this rather pointless exercise, she went back to the car and retrieved a length of rope she had found in the boot. With Spike's help, they tied him up. Hauling him back to the car, they bundled him into the boot. It was a tight fit, but that didn't matter.

Spike didn't understand at first. He'd assumed Buffy was going to kill him. Spike had promised himself that particular pleasure, but recognised Buffy's prior claim. Still, the idea of taking him back to the resistance base seemed like a good second. Particularly as he hadn't felt Buffy's punches. Spike knew from personal experience how it felt to be on the receiving end of the small woman's punches. If he hadn't felt them, he wouldn't feel anything. But the effect of the drug cocktail would wear off eventually. Getting back into the car, he asked her to confirm her plans. "Back to the caves?"

She nodded. Her face was closed. He could normally read her face like a book, but right then he could see nothing. 

They drove back in silence. When they got back, they dumped the car in the usual place, a hidden clearing in some dense woodland. It would take them ten minutes to get back to the entrance to the cave complex. Picking up the cattle prod he had thought to bring with him, Spike carefully opened the boot. Riley was still apparently tied up and so tightly fitted into the small space, that he didn't seem able to move. Spike gave him four bursts from the prod, sure that he would be out, before hefting the man onto his shoulder. Buffy followed, wondering what she should do. When she first saw him, she really intended to kill him. Realising he couldn't feel any pain, she had decided to wait. Now she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Seeing him helpless as he was, she realised she couldn't do to him what he had done to her. She just didn't have it in her. And what was more, she didn't want Spike to kill him either. 

Once back inside, they were taken to a remote cavern. It had taken ten minutes of a very complicated route to reach it from the last inhabited part of the complex. With help from a couple of Jelka demons, they tied him to a stake in the centre of the floor. The Jelkas were given the job of making sure he didn't work free of his bonds. Even with his enhanced strength, it was unlikely he would be a match for one, let alone two of the seven-foot monsters. 

Buffy still hadn't spoken. Spike followed her back to the hub. She went to what passed for a kitchen and found a knife. Prying open the cassette, she pulled out the tape, placing it in a large saucepan. Spike knew what she wanted next. He handed her his lighter and she set the tape alight. He watched her watching the tape disintegrating, the flickering light making golden patterns on her face and hair. When the fire died to leave ashes, she calmly emptied the contents into a bin and looked at the mess remaining in the pan.

"I owe them a saucepan," she smiled at Spike. 

The smile faded and tears started to flow down her cheeks. Spike stepped closer and held her. Somehow, he knew these tears were healing. They had a different quality to those she had cried lately. 

Buffy was surprised by her reaction. She felt nothing but relief. The tape had been destroyed and no one would ever see her humiliation. Riley had been taken, he was tied up and she was safe. She felt safer still when she felt Spike's arms snake around her. She might be in a reality which was alien to her, but at that moment, she felt as if she was home.

When the tears had subsided, Buffy pulled away. She still didn't feel like going out into the hub. There were too many people. With a look at Spike, she went out into what was used as a dining area. Taking a seat in the corner, she waited until Spike joined her. For a while neither spoke.

"Spike," she began, "I don't want him dead. I thought I did, but I don't. He'll go to prison, or, maybe even hospital, but that's all. Promise me?"

He was on the verge of telling her to forget it. Of telling her that he was going to kill him slowly and painfully. But looking at her, he knew that would hurt her. It was her choice. His shoulders slumped a little, but he agreed. 

"Ok, love, if that's what you want. But, if he hurts anyone here, he'll just have to take his chances. I mean that. If he gets out and hurts anyone else, the promise is off. Ok?"

Buffy smiled. She knew she had finally proved something to herself. Spike's lack of chip was unimportant. "Spike," she whispered.

He looked up.

"Remember you said you'd have to earn my trust before I'd tell you what happened when "

"I remember," he answered, unsure where it was leading.

"Well, I do trust you, and if you want to know, I'll tell you." 

Spike's spirit exalted. She trusted him.

"Listen, love. It's over. If it'll help you to talk about it, I'll listen. But if you'd rather just forget it, that's ok too. You don't have to prove you trust me."

"I think it'll be easier to put it behind me if I tell you. It might make it easier to understand why I don't want him dead. You see, he's got this idea. He's got it into his head that you, or more exactly, the other you, corrupted the other me. Because they were, well, together. And it's all mixed up with his childhood. His father used to beat him. The Riley I knew never mentioned it, but I think the same thing happened to him. He kept going on as if I needed to be forgiven for being with you. But he said I had to be punished first. He used his.." Buffy stopped for a second, unsure if she could continue.

"It's ok, love, don't go on. I understand."

"No, I need to tell you." She took a deep breath. "He used his belt. But it wasn't the pain that was the worst part. It was the fact that he was doing it to make me feel worthless - just as worthless as he felt. Just as worthless as I made you feel all those times I said those awful things to you."

Spike leaned forward, gently pushing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "It doesn't matter, love. I am worthless, I know it. But you, you could never be."

Buffy continued. "He seemed to think, when I had been punished enough, and he had forgiven me, that I'd fall into his arms. He told me I'd never had a man, and that once I'd had him, I'd never want you again. I told him you were more of a man than he'd ever be. In his own way, he loved me. He just couldn't understand why I'd prefer a vampire to him. He said you'd corrupted me and that after my punishment, I'd see that, and I'd love him."

Spike had listened to every word, but the part where she had said he was more of a man than Riley echoed through his brain until he felt dizzy with it. It was so contrary to what she'd said to him in the past that he couldn't hold back the tears which were starting to form in his eyes. She saw that and smiled. How could she ever have thought him a heartless monster? His love for her was written all over his face, so why had it taken so long for her to see it? 

"Thing is," she went on, "in our reality, I never really loved him. Even when he was gentle, kind Riley, I didn't love him. I cared for him, I really did, but I didn't love him. That's what chased him away. But this Riley, he wasn't capable of love. It had been taken away from him. I don't know what made the difference between the two of them, why one turned out one way and the other different. Maybe even the other Buffy rejecting him in favour of a vampire. But maybe he can be helped. Maybe someone can give him back his self esteem. Maybe, someone, somewhere can love him and earn his love." 

Buffy laid her head on Spike's shoulder and he responded by putting his arms around her. In some ways, understanding what had happened made it easier to understand why she didn't want him dead. It still went against his nature, but then almost everything he did these days came into that category. 

As he was thinking, he realised her breathing had changed, becoming slow and even. She was asleep. Wriggling to try to make himself as comfortable as he could on the hard bench, he made up his mind to let her sleep as long as she needed to. He was going to ache in the morning, but it'd be worth it to have Buffy sleep in his arms. So, now it was official, he was an even bigger poof than his sire, but he didn't care any more. 

When Riley came around a little while later. He saw the two demons, and tried to free his hands. He couldn't. He knew he was overdue another dose of his vitamin supplement. He could feel the pain returning, all over his body. He shuddered. He knew Spike would be there soon, and that there would be more pain. He didn't believe for an instant that the vampire loved Buffy, but he knew he must consider her his property. He knew enough of vampire culture to know that Spike would avenge what he had done to his property. 

The fact that he was being kept waiting showed that Spike knew what he was doing. He started to shake, the waiting too much for him. As he did so, he felt his heart pound harder in his chest. He knew a second or two before it happened. He knew the regulator in his chest had malfunctioned. He could feel his heart racing faster and faster until he could no longer pick out separate beats. There was no pain, just a dizziness that took away from the other pain he felt returning to his back, legs and arms. He knew he was dying, and he welcomed it. In the end, he had failed, he knew he had, but he knew his father would never be able to tell him so, so it didn't matter.


	19. Chapter 19

**__**

Chapter 19 – Monday, Standard Reality

A very relieved Spike had had no problems when he arrived at the warehouse. He was informed that Dominic would see him as soon as he was free and escorted to the upper floor. Waiting in a comfortably furnished room, he was watched by a number of others. Two were obviously bodyguards, but the others were not. Spike was unsure of their role, but suspected they were advisors of some sort. It seemed they were all waiting for the master to see them. None seemed inclined to chat, so Spike spent the time quietly looking around, trying to think of a way of finding out what had happened to Xander.

Xander was very unhappy. He had come round in this pen, and had found there was no way out. He supposed he must be lucky in some way. Given that he had passed out right in the doorway, he assumed no one knew he was on his way out, rather than in, when he was captured. On the other hand, he was now one of hundreds being kept in the now smelly basement of a warehouse. Half an hour ago, he had been held down and given an injection – he assumed from what Spike had said that this was the sedative. He didn't know what was next, so he asked one of the others in his pen.

"Shhhhh," he replied. "Keep your voice down. If we get too noisy, they either give us an extra dose of sedative, or break a bone or two. It depends who hears us."

Xander repeated his question in a whisper. "What's next? What're they going to do?"

The other man shrugged, hopelessness already having robbed him of feeling. "They'll come for a 'donation' soon. They do it nice and clean, too. All sterile. They don't want us getting sick. After that, you'll be out of it for a while. Short of blood. Not enough to kill you, but you won't feel right for a while."

With that, Xander's companion went back to staring at the ceiling, apparently bereft of thought.

To the irritation of the others waiting to see the master, Spike was admitted first. It was 1am. 

"How are things with the Slayer?" Dominic asked, as a minion offered him a beer.

"Oh, fine," Spike replied, trying to look more relaxed than he felt. "She was rather put out with me for staying away so long, but I put her right. She knows who's boss. Had to remind her, though. Chit sometimes forgets." 

He smirked, hoping he was giving the impression he intended to and at the same time cringing inwardly at the thought that Buffy would ever hear what he had said.

Dominic nodded in approval. "I'm glad to hear it. Now, when can you deliver her? I'd like to have her here by tomorrow if possible. That would mean taking her tonight. I've still got a while to the new moon, but I've been thinking about what you said. It's a long time since I had a human, and since she's come so highly recommended, I thought I might use her for a while first."

Spike almost choked on his drink. "Over my dusty body," he thought. Aloud he said, "Tonight, let me think, tonight could be difficult. She has to go somewhere, something her Watcher set up before he left. Apparently there are some trainee Watchers in Sunnydale at the moment, come specially to meet the Slayer." 

Spike hoped Dominic would accept that. It was the best he could come up with at short notice. They couldn't move until he had the lamp, and he didn't know when that would happen. Basically, he was just buying time.

Dominic looked irritated. "Really, can't you do something about that? It would really be more convenient."

"I could," Spike replied, "but not without putting her on guard. I've never interfered with this sort of thing before. If I do it now, she might suspect. She loves me, but she doesn't exactly trust me. Wouldn't be much fun without that little bit of fear, now would it?

Dominic smiled. A human who enjoyed fear, now that would be a rare treat. And one worth waiting for. There were so many things for her to fear. "Very well, Tuesday night. How will you deliver her?"

"Well," Spike seemed to consider. "The simplest thing would be for you to have a group ready to take her when she patrols. I'll be with her, and I'll make sure she goes to the right place. How does alley at the back of the Bronze sound? It's as good a place for an ambush as I know around here. Say, ten o'clock? She'll expect me to help her, but I'll just help myself this time. How's that?"

"Sounds good," Dominic replied. Talking about the Slayer made him forget about the business at hand. She was a means to an end, not the prize.

Hoping it wouldn't look suspicious, Spike asked if he could visit the human pens again. He claimed to have some further questions. Fortunately, Dominic seemed preoccupied and agreed. 

He headed down to the basement. The first thing that hit him was the smell. It was noticeably worse that during his previous visit. He wondered idly if there were plans to address that. The stock was obviously short of toilet and washing facilities. He walked from pen to pen, trying to look unconcerned, but in fact looking for Xander. At first he saw no sign. Buffy had told him about the vents, and he noted which these were, each with a bit of gum wrapper lodged in it. The ventilation shafts were too narrow for Xander, so he didn't hope to rescue him, yet. 

At last he spotted him in a pen on the other side from the stairway. He looked pale and dishevelled. Unsure of his welcome, he approached. Xander saw him from the other side of the room, and watched his approach. He had never liked Spike and had trusted him less. Now, he seemed like his best chance of rescue. He still thought he might be trying to sell Buffy out, but the other possibility still existed. He decided to take a chance on his loyalty.

Spike was consciously trying to look disinterested. He was paying less attention to Xander's pen than to the others. As he got close, he turned his back on the pen, apparently watching the women in the pen opposite. Xander took the hint and sidled towards his possible ally. He said nothing, but as carefully as he could, put a piece of paper in the back pocket of Spike's jeans. As he did so, he mentally complained about vampires who had to be poured into their jeans. It hadn't been easy to put the paper there without anyone seeing, but he thought he had done it.

Spike didn't know what Xander had given him, but he knew it must be important. Raising a hand to the pocket to check nothing was visible, he walked away, continuing his tour of the facility. As he was about to leave, the white coated vampires who were always present down there congregated in one area. Sensing something significant was happening, Spike wandered in their direction. A group of ten women and girls was being herded from their pen to the area previously identified to Spike as the breeding pens. Among them he noticed a very young girl he had spotted previously. She looked at him, begging for help with her eyes. How she had got the idea he would help, he didn't know. 

He was still approaching, when a scuffle broke out. The women were obviously not as sedated as they had appeared to be, and they were trying to get away. Spike watched in amazement, his respect for the humans increased. They stood no chance at all, yet they were willing to try. He was even more surprised when he saw the girl he had been watching, slip away from the group and manage to hide in the shadows beside an air conditioning conduit. It seemed to Spike that the others were bound to see her, that she had no chance, yet when the women were rounded up and returned to their own pen, she remained at large. Three 'doctors' followed the women into the pens and another dose of sedative was meted out. They hadn't noticed one was missing. Looking at the child, she certainly wasn't more, he saw she was standing close to one of the vents Buffy had marked. 

Spike approached Wilson, trying to engage him in conversation and hoping to take him away to another area.

"Bit of trouble?" he asked.

Wilson blustered. "Well, nothing we can't handle. Can't get it right straight away. They'll be ready in half an hour or so. The first batch. Y..you don't need to tell anyone?" 

He was suddenly wary. He knew this strange black-clad creature had the ear of the master. Spike put an arm round the man's shoulders.

"No, not at all. I understand," he told him. "Tell me, what are you going to do about the smell? I mean, they can't smell it. The human nose simply isn't sensitive enough. But, how can you stand it?"

He'd obviously hit a nerve with Wilson. "Thank you, Spike, isn't it? I've been telling them that for days now. We need better ventilation, but will anyone listen? As long as the blood finds its way upstairs, no one cares. You couldn't, you know, have a word?"

Having assured Wilson that he would do what he could, Spike saw the man back into the office he had at the far end of the area. He could just make out the trembling figure on the other side. All the other white coats seemed to have cleared away, probably not wanting to be associated with the failure of their recent attempt. Spike approached quietly, glad that most of the occupants were too sleepy and hopeless to notice him. When he got close enough, he chose the grill closest to, and partially hidden by, the air conditioning conduit. Pulling it out, it came as easily as Buffy had suggested. He motioned to the girl, helping her into it. "Straight through. You'll get out. Hide just now, until the sun comes out, then you'll be safe. Can't follow you in sunlight."

Spike returned the grill to its previous position and checked around again to see if anyone had noticed. The only person who was looking his way was Xander. 

Returning to Buffy just before sunrise, Spike told her about Xander and the girl. Buffy immediately dressed and headed for the warehouse. She arrived as the sun was rising, and looked for the girl. She noticed one grill moving and ran to help. She pulled her out and took her home with her.

Back in Revello Drive, Sarah wasted no time calling her parents. While Buffy had been gone, Spike had checked out the paper Xander had given him. It was a chocolate bar wrapper and had writing on one side.

__

Daylight matching tube, Model no. 7676B

Try Weston Electrics.

Buffy busied herself with getting Dawn off to school. She was curious and wanted to know what was going on, but the lure of a whole week away from home, spent with her friends, was too much. After getting Buffy to promise to tell her the whole story when she got back, she headed to school, driven by Tara. 

While Sara was calling her parents, Spike showed Buffy what was on the sheet. It was obvious that Xander thought this was the lighting Dominic used in the sunroom, and he even seemed to be suggesting a supplier. 

Sarah's father arrived within ten minutes of her call. The reunion was tearful, and for several minutes no attempt was made on either side to either ask or explain what had happened.

When the questions started, Sarah tried to tell him everything. She kept looking at Spike who had been sitting in the corner well away from the window. When she had reached the end of her information, she introduced her father to Buffy and Spike, explaining that between them, they had rescued her. Mr. Meddows shook both of them by the hand, but obviously wasn't convinced by his daughter's story. He started to ask the others for their understanding, and was becoming more amazed by the minute. When they had finished, he still seemed unable to believe. 

"Are you trying to tell me that you were abducted by **vampires**? That they took blood from you and were going to keep you there? I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. I know people have been disappearing, but there are enough people around capable of doing wrong, without looking to bogey men to blame. I think, we should call the police and let them handle this."

Spike had more or less kept out of the conversation so far, answering only when a question was directed at him. He stood now, and approached the man. "You call the police, and all you get are more captives, and probably a lot of dead. The police can go in there armed to the teeth, and it'll make no difference. These things can't be stopped by bullets. They can be hurt by them, but not killed. The only way we're going to rescue the rest of the captives is our way."

"I'm sorry, Mr. … Spike. Vampires? I mean,…" 

He didn't continue. Spike had allowed his face to change as he stood inches from the now terrified man. 

"Believe me," he said, before changing back.

It took several minutes to restore comparative calm in the room after that. When it was quiet, Mr. Meddows was more or less convinced, and agreed to do what he could.

"First step," Spike told him, "is to see if we can get hold of a portable version of these lamps. If we're right, they'll have a devastating effect on vampires, but none on humans. That way, we can get in and release the captives. Then we can blow the place up. That will get a lot of them. If we do it in daylight, it'll do for the rest."

Looking at the paper Xander had supplied, Mr. Meddows looked confused. "We use daylight matching tubes at the newspaper. When we're looking at photos and so on. We need to get the colour right. We've got some small units we can move around. They need mains power, but we might be able to come up with something. I've got an electrician works for me who's worked miracles before. Let's see if he can do it again."

"Before you spend time on that, we need to check they work," Spike pointed out.

"How do you propose.." Buffy started. "Oh," she said, realising. "Guinea Pig Spike." 

Suddenly realising Anya didn't know about Xander, she rushed to the phone. When she returned, she had good news. "Xander's put aside some explosives for us. Anya knows where."

Having dropped Sarah at home with her mother, Mr. Meddows continued to the newspaper office with Spike under a blanket in the back. He was still a bit shaky with the whole idea of vampires and even more so with having one in the back of the car, but if he had saved his daughter, this creature deserved a bit of trust. He had seen the way Sarah looked at him, with an expression almost akin to adoration. There was a covered loading bay at the back of the building, and they parked there, allowing Spike to get under cover quickly. They went to the proofing lab where Mr. Meddows wasted no time setting up one of the lamps. It was quite small and attached to a mobile unit. Taking a deep breath, Spike put his hand in the path of the light. Immediately his skin started to redden, smoking slightly. Wincing, he pulled his hand back. 

"Right," he told the newspaper manager, "Let's see what your electrician can do."

Buffy had gone to Anya's, and with Tara, the three women had gone to reclaim the explosives. It took some fast talking on Anya's part to get the site foreman to give them access to the store where Xander had left them, but Anya was on top form. Afterwards Buffy realised she had understood very little of what the ex-demon had said. It seemed to be the sheer number and rapidity of the words that did the trick. Carefully loading the boxes into the boots of Tara's and Anya's cars, they drove cautiously to Revello Drive. Buffy just hoped Xander would know what to do with the explosive, because she didn't have a clue. 

At the newspaper offices, Spike had been detailing the plan for taking the warehouse. "How many people will you need?" Meddows asked.

Spike was initially surprised. "It's just, I'm not the only one who had someone taken. Because of the article in the paper, I've got details of lots of the other families. I could get some of them together, I know I could. Their children are in that place, too."

Spike understood. "We could do with a few more," Spike considered. "We've only got Buffy, Willow and Tara and Anya. I won't be a lot of use - being allergic to sunlight and all."

"So, if I contact a few families, ask them to come here," Meddows continued, "could you, convince them? Like you did me?"

Spike agreed. "Make sure they're not panicking types. We don't want to increase the stock at the warehouse."

"Don't worry, I'll choose carefully."

Meddows had set up a meeting of a number of relatives for later in the afternoon. Buffy and the rest of the gang were going to be there. Spike found a quiet darkroom and got some sleep. He was going to have to go back to the warehouse and confirm the details for Buffy's capture that night, and he needed to be fresh.

When they had all assembled, Spike gave two demonstrations. He showed his demon face, and he showed the effect of the special lamps on his skin. When Sarah's evidence was added to what the others had said, the relatives seemed convinced. Buffy finished with a request.

"Go home and sleep if you can. We'll meet here at dawn tomorrow. If you have access to holy water, bring that too, it might be useful. I'll bring stakes, but I hope it doesn't come to that. Vampires are physically strong. It would be better if none of you got close."

Nine that night saw Buffy and Spike at the door of her house. He was about to leave, and they were holding each other tight. "Last time, love," he reminded her. She sighed. "Just come back safe. I want to wake up with you beside me." They kissed again and he was gone.


	20. Chapter 20

**__**

Chapter 20 – Tuesday, Alternative Reality

Buffy woke next morning feeling strangely at peace. As she drifted up from a dreamless sleep, she wasn't sure where she was. Opening an eye, she spotted black, and as she focussed, she realised she was lying on a hard bench, her head in Spike's lap. He was holding her gently. She looked up to his face. His eyes were closed, but as she watched him, they opened and he smiled at her. "Morning," he said, softly.

She pulled herself up to sit beside him, still watching his face. "Thanks," she said to him.

He looked confused. "What for?"

"Everything, listening, understanding. Just for being here."

He shrugged. He still didn't know what to do. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel threatened by him – he knew Riley had threatened her with more than the belt. She needed to be safe, and all he wanted to do was kiss her. She looked strangely lovely. Her hair was tousled, and her eyes were still filled with sleep. As if she understood, as if she could read his mind, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. He took it gently, afraid he would misread the signs, but she led, kissing him harder until he could only respond. They didn't know how long it had been, seconds, minutes or even longer, but they both became aware of another presence. Looking up, they saw Jenny. She had coughed, that slightly embarrassed noise that said she didn't want to disturb them.

"I've got some news," she said, apologetically. "It's Finn. He's dead. The Jelkas aren't sure when he died, they thought he'd gone to sleep. They got someone to check him out a while ago, but he was dead."

"Why?" was all that Buffy could manage.

"We don't know, but he had taken a beating somewhere."

Buffy whitened. Spike knew what she was thinking. "No, love, it wasn't you. You didn't kill him. I was there, I saw it."

"C..can I see him?" Buffy sounded unsure.

In answer, Jenny motioned for them to follow. When they got to the cavern, he was lying, now untied, on the ground with a sheet over him. Kneeling beside him, Buffy removed the sheet. Underneath he was stripped to the waist. The appearance of his upper torso elicited a gasp of surprise. There was no way she was responsible for that. 

Someone came up behind them. "Hello, I'm Simon. I'm a medical student, the closest thing we have to a doctor here. The injuries cover most of his body. He must have been in a lot of pain."

"He wasn't," Buffy countered. "He was on some drugs, he called them his vitamin supplements. They made him stronger than he should have been, and he didn't feel pain, at least, not when he took the drugs."

"That's not possible," Simon disagreed. "There's nothing that could do that. The damage to the heart would be considerable if anyone tried it. It just wouldn't be safe." He paused for a minute. "Do you know what this is?" he asked, pointing out a scar on his left breast.

"I don't know for sure," Buffy replied, "but I think it was some kind of heart regulator, it increased his heart rate to make up for the other changes caused by the drugs." She struggled to remember what had happened with 'her' Riley.

Simon looked unsure. What she was saying had a strange kind of logic to it. Certainly, if drugs could do the things she said they did, an increased heart rate would be needed to support it.

"What killed him?" she asked.

"I'm not really qualified to say, but I don't think the beating did. That looks to have been done by someone who really knew what he was doing. If what you've told me is true, my best guess would be a heart attack. You can only abuse your body for so long before it rebels. And if he's recently taken a beating, then being in pain would have added to the burden."

Buffy nodded. In her reality, Riley would have merited tears. She had none for this Riley, but was glad he was at least at peace.

Jack and Cordelia arrived at Los Angeles airport and hired a car for the rest of the journey to Sunnydale. Jack was surprised at how quiet his assistant was. She was never known to be short of words, but she had hardly spoken the whole way. 

They had agreed to meet someone from the resistance at the mall car park. Oz approached the car, holding out his hand to Cordelia. He recognised her, and saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but no words were said. Oz joined them in the hired car, and the three made for the concealed car park. Once inside the cave complex, they were introduced to a number of other members – including Buffy and Spike. Again, Cordelia's eyes flashed recognition at the other woman, but said nothing. Within half an hour, Jack was convinced of the existence of vampires and other demons. The rest was harder to prove. He was shown the figures Willow had obtained from the police and Initiative computers. Persuaded there was something going on, the two visitors went back into town to a hotel. Now he could get down to what he was good at. He could smell a good story, and no one had ever stopped him from getting the truth before.

Brian Wakefield had had a very uncomfortable night. He hadn't gone home, expecting Finn to turn up at any moment. He realised he must have been followed. He didn't know what had happened after he left, and he didn't care. He decided that now might be a good time for a holiday, and after paying a flying visit to his flat for some clothes and his passport, he left.

Spike got the feeling Buffy was avoiding him. After spending the night in his arms, and waking him with that kiss, he had hardly seen her except when there were lots of others around. He kept telling himself it was just another kiss. It meant no more to her than the last one had. But it meant more to him. He berated himself for feeling so much. He wished he could turn off his feelings, just decide not to care any more. It wasn't an option. 

He went back to training the demons to fight, hoping she would come too, but there was no sign of her. He wanted to find her and demand to know what was happening between them, but knew that his courage would fail him at the first sign that she was still feeling vulnerable after her dealings with Riley. He wasn't used to a vulnerable Slayer. Somehow the two terms didn't go together. She had been vulnerable before – not least when she had died and then again when she had first come back, but she had never had that air of vulnerability she had after Riley. Unable to do more, he found a quiet corner of an otherwise unused cavern and started to kick the wall with his steel toe-capped boots. It didn't do the boots much good, but it made him feel better. He was surprised by Jenny. She looked quizzically at him and he was suddenly embarrassed. It wasn't exactly the way he liked people to think of him. He still liked to think he was the 'big bad' and kicking walls was somewhat at odds with that. 

"Want to talk?" Jenny asked.

"About?" Spike wasn't about to make this easy.

"Whatever is causing you to take out your frustration on the rock that's sheltering you from the sun. What's going on with you and Buffy? This morning I thought you'd finally 'got together'. It certainly looked that way to me. But she's off helping man the phones, and you're here."

Spike took a breath. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to get a woman's point of view. "Don't have a bloody clue. This morning, I thought, well, same as you. But I've hardly seen her since then. As if Riley dying made a difference."

"It must've been hard for her. She and Riley were close in your reality. To find out what he was like here must have hurt. Did she ever tell you what happened?"

"She did, but I'm not saying." Spike was suddenly defensive.

"I'm not asking you," Jenny soothed him. "I just mean, that shows she trusts you. She didn't before, not completely. Funny thing, when you've got no past, like me, you learn to watch people. I watch people closely to understand their past, their relationships, to try to work out what I should be able to remember. She trusts you now. Maybe it's just herself she doesn't trust. I don't know about her past – why she wouldn't trust herself. Do you?"

Spike thought about Buffy's past. Yes, he could really see why she couldn't trust herself. But in truth, it was circumstances that let her down, not her, or the decisions she made.

"Think so," he agreed. "She's had a complicated past. And in some ways, Riley was the least complicated of the lot."

"Then give her time. She cares. Maybe that's got to be enough for now."

Buffy knew she had been close. If Jenny hadn't turned up when she did, she'd have said something, something she couldn't take back. At that moment, waking up with him, she had felt safe and wanted and loved. She knew he would never hurt her. And she felt that she loved him. Then, seeing Riley, remembering both 'her' Riley and the one who died, she remembered that every decision she made ended in disaster. With Angel, it meant death. Death for Jenny and the countless others he killed while soulless. Parker was just a mistake. Then Riley. She thought she loved him. She thought she had found the normal life she always wanted. He loved her and she had hurt him by shutting him out, by not being able to love him as he deserved. 

The bottom line was, that with her track record, she was just plain scared. She'd been wrong every other time. Even Angel, who loved her, had tried to kill her, had been obsessed with killing her until he got his soul back. She shuddered at the parallel between Angel and Angelus on one hand and the two Rileys. What would she do to Spike if she tried to love him? Would he go wrong too? She couldn't bear it if he did. Right now, he was her anchor, her only friend in this reality. She had no idea if she was ever going to get back. She needed him like she had never needed anyone else, and most of all, that terrified her.

Jack Singer had set to work. Within minutes of getting to his hotel, he had his mobile office up and working. He had experts in all sorts of fields at his beck and call, and he got on the phone. Within hours, he had information coming in, and the more he got, the more he realised he was on to the biggest story of his career.

Red Cross had heard that Riley Finn was missing. He had had him followed, and everything had seemed to be going well. Something happened at the base. Once there, the tail had been discontinued. Something had sent him out of there, and he hadn't returned. His first thought was that the beating he had ordered had killed him, albeit not instantly. Those responsible had died.

Things in Sunnydale were heating up. He'd heard a rumour that Jack Singer was in town. That spelled trouble. He had a reputation for being completely honest. He couldn't be bought. The whole plan would have to be put on hold. He had anxious buyers from all over the world on his back, but he had no choice. He pulled most of his people out of the local hospital and sent them out of town. The hospital management had been irritated – he'd provided a considerable income for them for the use of some of their facilities for his special private practice. They hadn't asked questions when they saw the size of the cheques. Everything was a mess, but he knew he could recover, if need be he could pull out and start again elsewhere. There were other hellmouths around the world, but first, he would try to remedy the current situation. 

Much later that evening, Buffy saw him. Spike was standing with a group of Jelkas and they seemed to be joking about something that had happened earlier. She watched for a while, noticing he enjoyed the company of other non humans and seemed comfortable with them in a way he wasn't with her friends. If she ever got back home, that wouldn't have changed. They'd never accept him. Unable to stop herself, feeling herself drawn to him, she approached. 

He looked surprised when he saw her. Under the surprise, she saw his pleasure. She stood close, just enjoying his proximity and the positive sensations that caused. She listened to how one of the Jelkas had managed to land a lucky hit on Spike and was surprised he now sported a bruised and swollen cheek. He was pretending irritation, but she knew it was put on. She could see the way his chest swelled with pride that one of these gentle giants could have done that after he showed them how. In some ways a very complicated person, yet, at times like these, he was so easy to understand. Like any human, he needed a purpose in life, and he needed to feel he belonged. 

Somehow, the Jelkas seemed to recognise the others' need to be alone. As a group, they wandered off to find others of their kind. Spike smile at Buffy. "Off to find the rest of the herd," he commented. He looked at her, unsure what to do. "Good day?" he asked.

She lifted a hand to the bruised cheek. He caught her hand and held it there.

"Ok. I'll be happier when we get to the bottom of this whole thing. I can't believe they've got Jack Singer involved. He's amazing. I hope it won't be long. Too many people've died already."

She knew he was watching her as she was talking, drinking in her appearance. She felt slightly embarrassed by his scrutiny and looked away. She knew she owed him an explanation, and linking his arm in hers, she said, "Time for a talk?" and led him out of the main parts of the complex. They went back to the cavern where they had spent their first night with the resistance. She'd picked up some blankets somewhere, and she spread them on the ground and sat down, back against the smoothest part of the wall. He joined her, waiting for her to explain.

She sat for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "Spike," she started softly. "I'm sorry, I've been avoiding you today. It's just, seeing Riley, dead, it shook me up. It just reminded me of the way I muck up everyone's life."

He tried to contradict her, but she put a single finger on his lips.

"It's true. Everyone, not just the men in my life. My friends too. I jump in there, and I shake everything up. Nothing's ever the same. I'm scared to do it again."

Spike shook his head at her. "Of course you make a difference, love. You wouldn't be living if you didn't make a difference to those around you. And, from what I've seen, your friends wouldn't have it any other way. You can't blame yourself for what happened to this Riley any more than the other one." He took a deep breath. "Do you believe that I love you?"

She looked into his eyes. How could she ever have doubted that? "Yes," she whispered.

"I'm willing to risk anything for you, even the possibility you might change me. Hell, you have changed me. You stopped me wanting to feed. Can't you take the risk, too?"

She thought over the diaries she had read. The parts which described her other self's life with Spike. Until the Initiative got the upper hand in Sunnydale, she had read about someone completely content with her life - something she had never experienced. Maybe that was worth the risk. Closing her eyes, she put her lips to his, gently at first, but their excitement grew quickly. Spike broke away for an instant, looking into her eyes, looking for confirmation that she knew what she was doing. "I'm sure," she whispered, and he caught her lips again. Several minutes later, he pulled away again. She looked at him, bemused, not understanding. His head was down. She put her hand to his chin, and raised his face to look at hers. She was surprised to find tears forming in his eyes. 

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Buffy, I can't do this. Not with you. I can't have you tonight, and then tomorrow you tell me it didn't mean anything. I'll just go, and…"

She held his arm to prevent him standing.

"Spike, I'm not promising forever. I can't, not yet. I don't know what'll happen if and when we get back to our own reality. But here and now, I love you. I think I have for a long time, but you've made it too easy for me. You've always been there. I never had to do anything. But here, I realised I need you. If you're not in my life, I'm not really living. And I'll never tell you it didn't mean anything. I can promise that."

It was enough for him. He pulled her into his arms again, and they both succumbed to the sensations being so close gave them. One last time, Spike pulled away. Buffy looked confused, but smiled when he went to the two nearest torches and quenched them. "We've got no doors, love, and I don't know about you, but I'd like a bit of privacy."

She could see nothing. The darkness was total, but Spike found his way back to her. In truth, he could see perfectly well. The night passed in alternating bouts of passion and drowsing. Everything seemed new and at the same time, familiar and right.


	21. Chapter 21

****

Chapter 21 – Tuesday, Standard Reality

Spike had arrived at the warehouse earlier, but had been left kicking his heels. The master was busy, and could not be disturbed. Although better than it had been, Spike's hand was still painful. Two short bursts of the special lamps had done enough damage. He had refused to have it bandaged and had a cover story about the problems of sleeping in a human house. He thought again about the effect of that, all over, for days on end and shivered. Eventually, he was called before Dominic. 

"Everything ok for later?" Dominic asked casually. 

"You mean the Slayer?" Spike replied, equally casually. 

"Yes, will you be able to deliver her? Tonight?"

"Yes, she should be patrolling tonight. I can steer her to the right place. Then it'll be easy."

"I see," Dominic seemed to be thinking. "It's just, you see, I'm starting to wonder about you. I've been hearing things. And I'm just not sure of your loyalty any more. I think we need to try something else. I think you should stay here for the rest of the day."

"But, how can I get her to the right place?" Spike protested.

"I'm sure you can think of something. You're a resourceful fellow. You can ring her later, and arrange to meet her at the place we agreed. You can even come along when we take her. Until then, I rather think you're going to be my guest. Of course, if everything goes according to plan, you will have my apology for doubting you."

The other part was unspoken. If it was proved that he intended to betray Dominic, he would suffer.

Motioning to one of his bodyguards, Spike was ushered out of the room and taken down the corridor. The room he was given was substantially less comfortable than the one he had used the last time. There was no furniture, and the floor was bare. The door was locked, and he had been warned that it would be guarded at all times. 

Sitting in a corner of the room, Spike started to plan how to get out of the warehouse. The only problem was that he couldn't think of anything. His only hope was to use the attack later to make his escape. Then he had to think of a way to get out of the warehouse in daylight without being hurt by the lamps. There was nothing in the room that could help - not even a blanket.

Buffy had spent the night jumping at every sound, convinced Spike had returned. It was still full dark when she had to get up, and she dressed quickly, still hoping he would be back soon. She left for the newspaper offices, still hoping. When the sun rose, she rang her home, terrified to discover that no one answered. Doing her best to put her worries about Spike to the back of her mind, she turned to the task at hand. 

Meddows had taken the decision to suspend production of the paper overnight, and there were delivery vans waiting ready in the loading bay. Instead of newspapers, they loaded the modified lamps, and other weapons people had brought. Someone had managed to get their hands on two containers of holy water, and several high power water guns. In all, there were fifteen men and women in addition to the Scoobies ready to go.

They had five modified lamps, and three water guns. The containers of holy water had been decanted into other, more portable bottles and the team split into smaller groups, all of which had either a lamp or a water gun. 

Before they left, Buffy had told them the plan. "We need to take a route to the basement. We've got to get those people out. From what Spike said, some may need hospital treatment. Most vampires will be in communal dormitories on the ground floor. We need to make sure they stay there." 

Mrs. Meddows and Sarah had agreed to stay outside the warehouse to help those who got out. They would call the emergency services when they were needed. With a signal from Buffy, they moved towards the entrance. 

Teams were left at various points along the escape route, effectively cutting off most of the clan. The lamps worked like a charm. They had vampires running for cover immediately. Since it was daytime, most of the clan had been asleep, and when they heard the reason for the commotion, most decided to stay where they were. Fear of the sunroom was such that none of them wanted to get anywhere near the lamps once they had heard what they were. 

Buffy, along with Anya, Willow and Tara were one of two teams who made it to the basement. Willow had the lamp for their group, and Tara was ready to use magic if needed. The red-haired witch still hadn't recovered from the shock of what her actions had meant for Xander, but she had improved when she heard he was still alive. And she was determined to make sure he got out.

When he heard the commotion, Spike knew what was happening. Listening at the door, he heard his guard leave. He put a foot to the door, and it splintered. Careful not to stake himself, he climbed through the remnants of the door. He knew that at the first sign of trouble, Dominic and his bodyguards would mass in his quarters. Their first priority would be the safety of the master. 

Unknown to Spike, Dominic was not trapped in his quarters. He had been around a long time, and had always made sure he had a bolt hole. There was another exit from the top floor, and he had had one of his people hide it magically. You couldn't see it unless you knew it was there. When he realised the warehouse was under attack, he had assembled his current cohort of bodyguards, ordering four of them to get Spike. 

As he crept along the corridor, Spike saw two guards coming towards him. He turned to go the other way, and found two more creeping up behind him. He defended himself as well as he could, but was hit over the head with a baseball bat and fell to the floor.

They dragged Spike's unconscious body through the magically hidden doorway onto a stairwell which had once been a fire exit. They made their way to the basement.

Once there, they moved quickly to another magically hidden door which led to the tunnels. A few hundred yards away was an exit, and on the other side of this, was a covered area which held a van. As they threw Spike into the van, he came to. Noticing this, Dominic motioned to his bodyguards to keep him under control. Looking up from where he was held down, he saw Dominic looking at him, an evil curl to his lips. 

"I see," Dominic began. "My luck is still with me. You weren't to be trusted after all. I suspected as much. You are responsible for this outrage. Still, you can be our insurance policy. We'll just take you with us, and make sure my plan succeeds despite this set back."

Spike struggled, but it made no difference. "I was just trying to find out what was happening," he protested. "Wanted to see if I could help."

Dominic looked at him, pityingly. "Such a pity," he said, "you could have been useful. But now, you're going to wish the Slayer had just staked you the first time she saw you. You're going to be wishing for that stake for a long time. Still, I wonder, is her loyalty as great as yours?"

All the white coated vampires were huddled in Wilson's office when Buffy and her team reached the basement. A little threat to use the lamp in the confines of the office provided the keys to the pens. Tara and Willow held the vampires there, while Buffy and Anya started opening the pens, the latter using the keys, and Buffy using brute force. Those who could walk started to make their way up the stairs, past those holding lamps or holy water filled guns. Those who couldn't walk were helped or carried by those who could. 

Xander was one of the first to be released. He was relatively unscathed, and helped get many others outside, coming back into the building several times. When they were sure they had all the humans out, and ambulances had taken all those needing treatment to hospital, Xander started organising the distribution of explosive.

Having succeeded in the first part of the plan, Buffy was frantically searching for Spike. She'd taken Tara and Meddows, both armed with lamps and was searching every corner of the warehouse. There was no sign of him. By mid-morning, all the vampires in the warehouse had been gathered into a few communal areas. Most were still in their sleeping quarters. There was no sign of anyone who could be Dominic, and none of the clan was offering any information. Xander took Buffy aside. 

"Look, we've got to do this."

"I know, but, what about Spike? If Dominic's got a hiding place in here somewhere, he could still be here. You've got to wait. I'll just have one more look around."

Xander put his hand on Buffy's shoulder. Anya and Tara were standing with him. "Buffy, no. It's got to be now. We're holding them now, but it's just a matter of time before they realise how few of us there are. And these batteries we've got for the lamps only have a limited life. We've lost a few lamps already, and that's all that's saving us right now." 

As the van pulled out of its concealment, Dominic decided to share a little of his cleverness with Spike. "The doors we used were hidden by magic. No one will ever spot any of them, even though they have now served their purpose. I wonder if you'll serve my purpose so well?" Spike felt a weight in his stomach. Dominic's face was at its coldest. Even congratulating himself on his foresight, even when he had apparently won this round of the 'game', his cold cruelty was apparent on his face, and Spike knew that Dominic had been right. He would soon be hoping for a stake through the heart.

Reluctantly, Buffy acquiesced to Xander's logic. She felt numb as she was ushered out to the remaining transport and driven home by Anya. She heard the explosion just as she got to her house. She was a couple of miles away by then, but she heard it. Meddows had promised a big story on the 'gas explosion' the next day, so they didn't expect any trouble from the authorities. The authorities in Sunnydale were good at accepting plausible explanations for the unexplainable.

Buffy didn't say anything to anyone. She simply went upstairs to her bed and threw herself down on it. She couldn't even cry. She just wrapped herself in the covers, the lingering smell of Spike clear as she breathed deeply. Nothing anyone said elicited any response. She simply lay, eyes open, staring into space.

The journey in the van didn't take too long. They had heard the explosion when they were less than a mile from the warehouse, and Spike felt satisfaction that the plan had been successful. Within half an hour, they had arrived at their destination, a dilapidated building in an industrial area Spike didn't immediately recognise. He was bundled inside. Within minutes he had been shackled in chains in a room lit only by candles. Four of Dominic's bodyguards lounged close to the only exit from the room. Dominic and the rest of his bodyguard went into an adjacent room. Soon, the master came in, a mobile phone in his hand. While Spike watched, he dialled Buffy's number. 

"I will speak with the Slayer," he said when someone picked up the phone.

"I'm afraid she can't come to the phone," Xander's voice responded. 

"Get her."

A few seconds later, Tara came on. 

"Yes?"

Dominic seemed to accept this must be Buffy. "I have the vampire. You will meet me at the Hellmouth tomorrow night. I will give further details later."

"H..how do I know you've got him?" Tara sounded nervous.

"You didn't find him at the warehouse, did you?" he replied before ending the call.

As he left the room, Dominic motioned to his guards. "Begin," he said simply. Understanding, two stood. One held in his hand a stout leather belt studded with nails, the other a chain. Working together they started to beat Spike viciously. Each stroke of the belt pulling out chunks of flesh and the chain bruising and breaking bones. Some time later, Spike's last coherent thought was a prayer to no one in particular to say thanks that there was no electricity in the building. At least he didn't have to worry about the sun lamps.

It took Willow ten minutes to elicit a response from Buffy. Even the news that Spike was apparently alive didn't filter through for a while. When it did, she first started to shake and then to cry. It took some time before she calmed. By that time, Xander and Anya had joined the others upstairs. "So," Xander asked. "What's the plan?"

"No plan," Buffy replied. "Tomorrow night, I go to the Hellmouth."


	22. Chapter 22

****

Chapter 22 – Wednesday, Alternative Reality

When morning came, it was still dark. Buffy woke to find herself in Spike's arms for the second morning in a row, but this was better than the last time. There was nothing separating them, as they lay wrapped together in blankets. Sensing she was awake, Spike kissed her and then moved to get up. "Others'll be up and about soon, love. I think it's time we got dressed."

Pulling on his jeans, he walked out of the cavern, returning with a lit torch from further along, which he used to light those he had extinguished previously. He returned to her, and she found the clothes she had shed the night before. She remembered 'mornings after' from before. Neither Angel nor Parker had been there when she woke. Riley frequently was, but he always seemed awkward, as if he was somehow ashamed of being with her in daylight after making love in the dark. There was nothing like that now. Waking up together had seemed as natural and comfortable as everything that had happened before. Together, they went off in search of breakfast.

They ate, both lost in their own thoughts. Spike just marvelled at what had happened. It had been everything he had fantasised about, and more. Everything had been special, and, as she had promised, she hadn't run from him this morning. She sat opposite him, eating toast. Her leg rested against his under the table, and the contact warmed him.

Buffy was happy. She had tormented herself for so long about the fact that she wanted Spike, that to have given in to those feelings at last was a tremendous release. But it was more than that. She had meant it when she said that she loved him. At that moment, he was the central pillar of her life, and she didn't want to even consider being without him again.

When they finished eating, Spike retrieved one of his dwindling supply of blood bags. Grimacing at the taste, he downed it as quickly as he could, recognising that it was none too fresh. Buffy was hovering, as if wanting to say something. Jenny had spoken to her a few moments before, but he hadn't heard what was said. When the blood was gone, he approached her, curious to know what was on her mind.

"What is it, love?"

"It's just, Jenny wanted to know what to do with the body… with Riley. She asked me because, I'm the only one here who knew him - at all. There's a cave, deep in the complex, where there's enough earth to bury him, and she wanted to know if I'd do it. I.. I feel I owe it to the other Riley, somehow, but I can't do it alone." She stopped, almost afraid to go on.

"Course I'll help. Don't expect me to say anything, prayers or praise or anything, but I'll be there."

To himself he wondered if she would take this trouble over his demise.

A couple of Jelkas helped them to take the body to the cavern. They left as soon as they could, so it was left to Buffy and Spike to do the digging. It was hard work, but the vampire and Slayer didn't break a sweat. They worked without talking.

When the job was complete, Buffy stood, looking at the newly replaced earth. 

"Riley, I hope you find peace," she started, speaking softly. "I hope you find love."

She held onto Spike's arm as she spoke. When she finished, she stood looking at the grave for several minutes, before she turned to go, tugging his arm as she did so.

Given that he had paid for much of the equipment in the Initiative base, Red Cross had made sure he had people working for him there. In the early days, there had been several. At present, there was only one, and he had had no contact with him since he was hired. That was as he intended. He was an insurance policy, no more. One phone call, and the man was activated. And the relief base commander had orders not to interfere.

He checked Finn's office first. He found the camera hidden in the wall. He noted the preoccupation Riley had had regarding a certain, human, woman. He discovered she had been captive at the base for a time. Checking Finn's living quarters, he found the tape of Brian Wakefield leaving the office with a video tape. Unknown to anyone working at the base, there was an additional recording system installed. It was audio only, and it covered the whole base. Collecting the tapes for the relevant few days, Red Cross's agent retired to an unused room to listen. He soon knew a good deal of what Finn had been up to.

Red Cross was disappointed. He had known of Finn's childhood. Indeed, he had been a close friend of his father. He hadn't realised he was obsessed with this woman. When he read the transcript of the audio recording, he was intrigued. A human with a vampire lover? Not unheard of, but for the human to be allowed freedom as she had been? That was unusual. He had the information. Brian Wakefield had been traced, and some of his people were due to visit. Somehow, he needed to find a way to get Jack Singer out of the picture before too much damage was done. He had an idea, and made a few phone calls from his base.

Cordelia could hardly believe she was home. She hadn't thought about Sunnydale since she left, and her job with Jack Singer, while not what she had dreamed of, certainly had possibilities. She was still hoping she'd get some time in front of the camera, but in the meantime, while he was investigating a story, she had plenty of excitement. Jack was the sort of man who lived his work. When he was on a high because everything was happening, Cordelia couldn't help but admire him more than ever. There was an energy about him that left her breathless.

Because she knew the town, she had been given the job of the 'on the top' investigation. Jack always ran two concurrent investigations. He had someone openly interviewing people, while his backroom boys got the details by other means. Cordy's job that morning was to get around the local authorities and the hospital management to take their official statements regarding 'allegations of irregularities'. This was easily the most boring job around at that stage. You can only hear 'No Comment', or 'Of course we deny these completely spurious allegations' so many times before your eyes start to glaze over.

When she reached her last call of the day, she was tired and her feet were sore. She dreaded looking in the glass door of the hospital as she entered because she knew her hair must be a mess, and the linen suit she had chosen to wear that day must be wrinkled to the point of absurdity. Promising herself a long, cool shower when she got back to the hotel, she went to the reception desk to present herself for her appointment with the hospital administrator. She was taken to a nicely decorated office, with a smartly dressed secretary sitting at a desk. Everything was as it should be, except for two things. Firstly, the clothes the secretary was wearing should have been beyond her earnings. And she seemed nervous. Cordelia was uncomfortable, but sat waiting. After a few minutes, the secretary got up and left. "Relax, Cordy," she told herself. "She's allowed a comfort break. And she's human. There's too much sunlight in this room for her to be anything else." When the door to the main office opened, a smartly dressed man opened it and called her in.

"Miss Chase, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting," he said, holding out a hand. "You know how it is, an important call from a benefactor. In fact without the gentleman in question, the hospital simply couldn't continue to offer the service it does to those unfortunates in the town who don't have sufficient medical cover."

By this time, the door had closed, and the man had an arm on her shoulder as if propelling her to a chair. His other hand held a hypodermic syringe, and it crept, unseen, closer to her uncovered neck.

It was seven. Jack had expected Cordelia back before now. She was never one to keep to office hours, but she shouldn't have taken this long. And he knew she wouldn't want to be out after dark. Even if the demon population was at an all time low, her memories of Sunnydale after dark would keep her indoors. Except she wasn't. He was worried. 

When the call came, he knew he was right to be worried.

"Your assistant is very attractive," the voice began. "It would be a pity if that had to change, and I really wouldn't want to be responsible for that. Get out of Sunnydale. Stop the investigation. And when we're quite sure you have, she'll be returned to you."

Jack had been threatened before. You didn't get to the top of this line of work without threats. He'd even had an employee threatened before, but this was different. Somehow, and he didn't understand it, Cordelia had become important to him recently. He checked her appointment list for the day. Apparently, she had completed all of her visits. That implied she disappeared either during or after the last. Jack contacted the resistance. They had no new information to offer, as they had no clue as to the identity of those behind the whole scheme. Jack decided he had no option but to pull out of Sunnydale. He would continue sifting the information that had already been gathered, but would not actively seek more.

At the resistance headquarters, this news was a major blow. The news that Cordelia had disappeared either during or after her appointment at the hospital suggested a lead, but it wasn't clear what they could do about it. When Buffy and Spike heard, they started to plan. They had much more experience of this sort of thing than the other resistance members. Spike knew he could rely on some of the Jelkas he had been training, too. They got together in a quiet cavern and planned. The last known location for Cordelia had been the hospital, and that seemed a good place to start - particularly when you took into account the fact that it must have been the centre of the whole organ removal business.

Red Cross was content. He had had confirmation that Jack Singer's investigation had been put on hold. Now he had to arrange for the resistance to be a thing of the past. He watched on closed circuit television as Brian Wakefield was questioned on his involvement with the organisation. It was disappointing that he knew so little, but the red-haired college student shouldn't be too hard to find.


	23. Chapter 23

****

Chapter 23, Wednesday, Standard Reality

Buffy couldn't sleep. The whole night she had spent alone in her bed imagining what they had done to Spike. She had no more tears. She had cried when she first heard Dominic had him. She knew his own minions were terrified of the master vampire. Every time she closed her eyes, she imagined him, broken and bleeding, in pain. She had no clear idea of what she was going to do the next day. She just knew that if the only chance of saving him was for her to go to the Hellmouth, then she would be there. Living without him wasn't an option any more. Smiling mirthlessly, she tried to remember a time when living without him had been an option. She remembered her life before Spike. It was an existence.

She got up the next morning, still dazed. She had come out of her almost catatonic state when she was told he was alive, but she was still struggling to function normally. As she tried to eat some breakfast, she vaguely overheard a conversation between the two witches. Tara was still in the house, but there were signs that their relationship had taken a serious knock over Willow's nearly disastrous use of magic. They were talking about the Magic Box - Giles' magic shop. This worked its way into her brain, and eventually found something to connect with.

"The other Buffy, she used to train there? At the shop?" she asked.

Tara looked up in surprise. She hadn't thought Buffy was aware of what was going on. "Yes," she started, unsure of the point of the question.

"I think I'll go. I feel like hitting something."

Willow half-heartedly smiled. That sounded more like her friend. Her Buffy used to take out her worries on a punch bag. "Good idea," she approved.

When she had gone, the two witches conferred. "We've got to help her," Willow told Tara.

"Just remember the last time you tried to help," Tara reminded. "You almost got Xander killed."

"But, if Spike's right, Dominic plans to turn Buffy at the Hellmouth. We can't let him do that. We can't."

Tara looked at her lover's face. The problem was, she was right. Whatever it took, they couldn't let that happen. She just didn't know how to stop it. "Research?" she said placatingly. Willow nodded gratefully.

Buffy had spent the last hour and a half making the most of the training facilities at the Magic Box. She wasn't really tired, but was definitely feeling better. Something about the physical activity allowed her to think more clearly. She needed to make sure Spike was safe. That was her priority. She felt her stomach sink again when she thought of him and consciously wrenched her feelings away from him. She couldn't think about him, not now. She'd worry about how he was when she knew he was safe.

Spike was alone. He was still chained up in the middle of the room. His legs wouldn't support his weight. He suspected they were both broken in several places. The pain of his weight hanging on his arms was excruciating, but at least they were leaving him alone for now. He knew he was a mess. He knew he had lost a lot of blood. He hadn't been able to make his demon face retract for a long time. He was ravenous. He'd never felt hunger like it, not even immediately after his change. Rational thought was becoming more difficult, yet he knew he was the cause of Buffy's current danger. He just didn't see what he could do about it except hope that she didn't love him enough to do as Dominic wanted. He never thought he'd have hoped such a thing, but it was all he had left.

Willow and Tara had cut classes for the day. They spent the time at the Magic Box, arriving while Buffy was still working out. They'd called Giles and he promised to do what he could. The tone of his voice told them that he couldn't believe that the Slayer would put her life in danger for the sake of a vampire, but he was resigned. His own Buffy had done it, after all, albeit for a different vampire. He had made no progress on the alternate reality problem. Everything he had found simply implied that it would sort itself out in time. There was a suggestion, however, that if one of those affected happened to die, the return would not happen. So, the only way to be reasonably sure of his Buffy's return was to make sure the other Buffy survived, despite her current death wish. 

Xander, on the other hand, was very supportive. He came to the Magic Box early, having arranged leave at short notice, ready to help in any way he could. Willow and Tara looked at him quizzically. 

"It's Spike we're trying to rescue, you know that?" Willow reminded him. "At least that's one of the aims. If we can't do that, we'll try to find some protection for Buffy."

"I know," Xander looked a little embarrassed. "I know what I said before, how I acted. But I saw what he did. That girl, she was helpless. Sarah. He put himself in danger to give her a chance to escape. I saw him do it. I don't know how, but he's not your average vampire any more. And this particular Spike's never even been chipped. Hey, I'm not at the bosom buddy stage, but I'm starting to understand why Buffy always let him in. Not to say I won't be glad when we get our own Buffy back and he's only in when we need him, but.." He tailed off.

"So, what've we got?"

"Not much," Tara replied, despondently. "We tried to find something that'll track him, but everything we've got is intended to track a human. It won't work with the dead. We're looking at some sort of protection for Buffy. Thing is, she's supposed to go alone. Whatever we do, it'll have to be from a distance. She won't thank us if she survives but Spike doesn't - especially if she thinks we're the reason he didn't."

Xander was thinking. "You know, we've got an advantage, haven't we?"

The two girls looked up, confused. 

"We can work in daylight. What if we set up some surprises at the Hellmouth right about now?"

They were both looking interested. "Like some lights?" he elaborated.

Xander reached for the phone. A few minutes later, he had what he needed. "Meddows is going to meet me in half an hour. We've got a few hours of daylight left, I hope that's enough. We're going to rig up the lamps so we can switch them on from somewhere away from the Hellmouth. I just hope I remember enough about the layout of the old school to get away with this. We need the area closest to the Hellmouth to be a sun-trap. We just have to hope that Spike's clear by then."

"What about something to hide you?" Willow asked.

Tara immediately started to protest. 

"No, not invisible. There's something much simpler. I saw it earlier." She started to thumb through the books in front of her. "Here it is. It just masks your aura a bit." She pushed the book in front of Tara.

"Ok," Tara agreed. "Yeah, I can do that. Do we have any garlic?"

"In Sunnydale?" Willow laughed. She went over to a shelf and pulled out two bags with strings around their necks. "Standard vampire repulsion kits. Not very effective, but.."

Tara smiled back. "With a little extra oomph…"

Within ten minutes, the witches had done a simple incantation over the two bags and given them to Xander with the caution that they wear them all the time, and that they wouldn't cover their auras completely. There was still a chance that a vampire could sense them, it was just reduced.

Xander bounded out of the room, excitement radiating from him. The witches returned to their own job, trying to get Buffy some extra protection. They were disturbed half an hour later by a call from Giles. 

"I've got something on Dominic. There's nothing recent, apart from a catalogue of his atrocities. But, way back, there was a suggestion that he had some sort of ability to mesmerise humans. It's not supposed to be at the level of Dracula, and it has to have physical contact to work. The thing is, he's been so surrounded by his clan for the past couple of hundred years, that there's nothing more recent on him personally." 

"Regarding the Hellmouth, there are a number of deals he could have done. There are several possibilities, but most of them would be just about impossible, even for a vampire to achieve. The most likely deal he could have done is with Zabrok. It is said that he can grant invulnerability. Once he had that, the other possibilities become viable options. Apart from the current danger, and we absolutely must stop Buffy from being turned, if he succeeds in turning seven Slayers and achieves invulnerability, he will have the potential to become a veritable hellgod himself. Except, that this will be his hell."

Spike had spent the day drifting in and out of consciousness. They returned to him, periodically, and beat him a bit more, but he kept passing out, and that ruined their fun. Dominic was still seething at the way his clan had been destroyed. Not that he had made any attempt to save any who weren't essential to his own comfort. Even the various females he kept exclusively for his own pleasure had perished. 

In this place, the bolt hole he always had, wherever he was, there was no room for extras. As soon as it was dark, he sent his guards out in pairs to feed and to bring him prey. He took his victim into the room where Spike hung, motionless, apparently unconscious. With blatant malice, he sank his fangs into the neck of the unconscious woman, knowing that in it's current starved state, Spike's demon would respond to the scent of blood. As he fed, he watched. Spike's demon watched as he drained the woman, fully conscious as he had not been for hours, and Dominic smiled at the pain on his face. He had no intention of giving Spike up in return for the Slayer. He fully intended that Spike would see what he planned for the human. He remembered what he had been told, the rumours which he eventually realised were most likely to be the truth, that the vampire loved the Slayer. Despite what Spike had told him, he had guessed the truth. And, Spike would see everything.

It was nine o'clock. Xander hadn't come back, and it was to be assumed that he was in place at the Hellmouth. Willow and Tara had used every protection spell they could think of, and applied them to Buffy. To try to counteract the mesmerising power Giles had warned about, they had included a spell which should clear her mind. Tara had been unsure of that one, as it dated back to Viking times, and its use was unclear. The other charms seemed pitiful compared to what she might face. She sat, looking completely resolute. She was grateful for everything the others had done and were doing. She was part of a team, and it made her feel so much less alone. Knowing she might lose Spike was still on her mind, but the terror she felt at that prospect was diminished by the presence of the others. The phone rang.

"Slayer," Dominic's voice was unmistakable. Tara had answered and as it was her voice he had heard before, she kept the phone.

"Yes"

" Be at the old entrance to the old High School in ten minutes, or your boyfriend will find out how it feels to drown in holy water. When the exchange is made, you will approach me alone. Do you understand?"

Tara passed on the message, although she kept the threat to herself. Buffy simply stood, and looked at Willow. As they had agreed earlier, the three women went out to Tara's car. The two witches had agreed to take Spike and try to keep him safe. They had worked out a barrier spell that they could use once they had Spike close to them. They parked as close as they could get, and walked the rest of the distance. As they approached, Buffy saw them. At least, she saw the other vampires, she thought she saw Spike. Dominic was apparent immediately. He was just as Spike had described him. He was flanked by burly vampires, eight of them. Spike lay on the ground, next to the outermost guard. He was crumpled and his legs were lying at the most unlikely angles. What she could see was a mass of gashes and torn and bruised flesh. That sight simply hardened her resolve. She approached, leaving the witches behind, but remained some distance away.

"Have one of your boys bring Spike over here," she demanded.

Dominic smiled. Spike had warned her about the cruelty of his face, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

"I don't think so," he replied, calmly. "You come here, and then I'll release your boyfriend."

"No way."

Her Slayer sense was prickling and she knew something wasn't right. There were vampires right ahead of her, but something else was going on. Suddenly, four were upon her from behind. Willow and Tara saw this from a distance. They had erected the barrier around themselves as soon as they had arrived. At Buffy's insistence, she had not been included. Now, caught by surprise, Buffy was held fast. As they dragged her to their companions, the witches watched in dismay. One of the guards picked up Spike, and the group entered what had once been Sunnydale High school. Reaching what had been the library, they stopped. Two stood at the entrance, barring all comers.

Once inside the library, Spike was simply dumped in the corner. At a signal from Dominic, he was doused with water. He opened his eyes, and for the first time saw Buffy. He closed his eyes again, unwilling to see watch. A kick from behind elicited a groan of pain and forced him to open his eyes again. Buffy had continued to struggle, and the four vampires holding her had finally wrestled her to the ground. Making sure Spike could see, Dominic approached her, touching her face. At his touch, she became still. Dominic's face changed and he leaned forward, grazing her neck with his fangs. As he sank his teeth into her neck, his hand wandered up and down the Slayer's body, pulling clothing out of the way at need, almost like a lover. 

Spike watched, unable to tear his eyes away. Inside his head, his demon roared. He knew Dominic was doing this to hurt him further. He had done as much as he could to his body, now he was torturing his mind. He couldn't bear to see his hands on her. Yet, the sight of his hands, touching Buffy where only he should, caused such rage in him that the purely physical pain started to recede. After a few minutes, he knew he had one attempt in him. His hands and ankles were tied, but he wasn't otherwise restrained. They obviously thought him too weak to be a threat. Spike lay there, letting his rage build, waiting for his opportunity.

Dominic drank deeply of the Slayer's blood. He knew he had to stop soon. She must actually die at the Hellmouth, not here. Yet she was intoxicating, the blood the most powerful he had ever tasted. In that at least, Spike had not lied. And he sensed something else too. Through her fear, he felt her determination not to give in. She was afraid, but she was not beaten. It excited him as nothing had for many years. None of his women had made him want them as she did. Reluctantly, he withdrew his fangs.

Buffy was feeling the loss of blood, but there was something else. She felt strangely relaxed. The world was spinning. Her thoughts were slow, everything was an effort. She felt Dominic's hands on her body and knew she should be outraged. Yet, she could do nothing about it. At last, he withdrew his teeth from her neck. Holding her in his vice-like grip, he moved towards the hole in the floor that would lead to the Hellmouth itself.

As they moved, Spike felt his gaze wrenched from Buffy to one of the guards. He had suddenly stiffened, as if he had sensed something. Spike concentrated his senses. He could feel it too. There were other humans here. The others hadn't noticed yet, too intent on watching their master with the Slayer. Spike moved his hands. He was trying to reach what had once been a chair leg, but would now pass as a makeshift stake. Slowly, hoping no one would notice, he moved his arms. The pain was coming back, even his rage unable to quell the agony caused by moving. For the first time in his life, Spike silently thanked his sire. If nothing else, Angelus had taught him to bear pain silently. Grasping the wood in his hands, Spike pulled himself to his knees and launched himself. Before the alert guard could do anything, the stake was through his heart. Spike collapsed to the ground, his one chance spent. Pain flooded through his body and he blacked out as two other guards landed on top of his pain wracked body.

Irritated, Dominic saw what had happened, but realised that Spike was spent. He wouldn't cause any more trouble. He dragged Buffy to the opening, and jumped through.

Buffy was only marginally conscious. Nothing made sense any more. Her brain was simply too sluggish. As she hit the ground, the pain brought her back a little. Dominic took one hand from around her and put it into his pocket. He pulled out a box. Buffy watched, mesmerised. Somehow, she knew this was important, but the reason escaped her. Out of the box he pulled a jewel. Buffy couldn't take her eyes off it. It was beautiful. In the back of her mind, the intense blue colour linked with something else. Eyes. Spike's eyes. He poured some powder over the jewel and said something. She couldn't make sense of the words. It was as if she was watching the TV abroad without subtitles, the noise just a drone. The beautiful stone started to glow.

As he held Buffy in one arm, Dominic intoned his request. 

"Zabrok, witness the death of the first Slayer." He changed to demon face and was about to sink his teeth into her neck anew, when he screamed in pain.

Xander and Meddows had been watching and listening as closely as they could. They were in a service tunnel adjacent to the room containing the Hellmouth. A single peephole allowed them to monitor what was happening. The batteries on the remaining lamps were almost out of power and there had been no time to recharge them. When they realised they were out of time, they had switched on. They just hoped it was enough. Leaving their hiding place, they found their way back to the corridor outside the library. Their route hadn't involved them in going through the library. Once there, they met Willow and Tara. The two witches had followed the others into the school, waiting out of sight until the two guards at the door had jumped on Spike. They had waited, just out of sight until the scream of pain told them it was time. Holding hands, the two witches spread the barrier around all four of them. They moved into the library, pushing the barrier out in front of them. 

The scene in the library was one of confusion. The guards didn't know what to do. They had been warned of the consequences if they followed their master to the Hellmouth, yet it was obvious he needed help. They looked at one another, each hoping another would tell them what to do. Seeing the humans coming in, they suddenly had an obvious target. Lunging as one at the group, they were surprised when they were thrown back again. As the humans continued their dogged approach, the barrier pushed the vampires further into the room and closer to the hole in the floor. Unable to resist, each of the eleven of them, was pushed down the gap.

At first, Dominic didn't know what had happened. He was about to finish the Slayer, and suddenly, every bit of uncovered skin on his body was on fire. Seconds later, it started to affect the whole of his body, even through his clothing. The pain was intense, and he dropped the girl, desperate to find cover. He jumped for the opening, trying to escape the Hellmouth. Maddened with pain, his first attempt failed. Every part of the room seemed to be filled with the radiation, and he watched as the skin on his hands started to blister. He made a second attempt to get out of the lower room, but failed as one of his guards fell on top of him. Within moments, the entire cohort was there. There was no room to move any more. Every time he turned, he was unable to move for the other desperate vampires. He was trying to reach the lamps, determined to stop them from working, but couldn't get close enough.

Buffy noticed the difference as soon as he had dropped her. Somehow, while he had contact with her, her mind was not her own. As soon as the contact stopped, she could think. She still didn't really understand anything other than the fact that she was surrounded by screaming vampires, but that was enough. Grabbing an appropriately shaped piece of wood from among the debris, she jumped into action. 

She had heard of the theory of the berserker. In Norse culture, a berserker is a warrior who is taken over by a madness that makes them not only stronger than they would otherwise be, but removes any vestige of fear. That was how she was. There was only the fight. No thoughts were given space in her mind. There was only the stake in her hand and the heart of the next vampire. Meddows and Xander had jumped in to the fray after the last of the vampires, but both felt largely unneeded. Buffy was a veritable whirlwind of activity. She had dusted five before they got there, and as they watched, she got another two with an amazing double lunge. As the two men each took on a single vampire, Buffy held off the rest. Even in their pain, the guards were still putting themselves between Buffy and their master. He alone was making no attempt to defend himself. 

Meddows and Xander each dusted their opponent and turned to see what Buffy was doing. To their surprise, only three were left. As they watched, she staked one and jumped towards the second. Two minutes later, the second was down, and she followed through with her stake. Now there was only Dominic. The three humans approached him, stalking him in unison as he backed towards the wall. As if on cue, the lamps around them started to blink off. 

Dominic realised the lights were going off, but that didn't undo the damage already done. He saw the three approach, and he backed into the wall. Trying to ignore the pain, he got ready to fight back, to defend himself, but he hadn't fought for so long, and his reflexes were slow. A moment later, the two men had him by the arms. Buffy held a stake over his chest. She held it there, conscious thought filtering at last into her mind. "I just wish I could make this slower," she ground out as she pushed the stake against his skin.

As she started to push the stake into his heart, she felt her muscles seize up completely. In desperation, she felt an incredible weakness envelop her. She sank to the ground, unable to rise again. Then she heard a voice. 

"You have failed, vampire. Now you come to me."

The look of fear on Dominic's face changed to a look of absolute terror at these words. The two men were still holding onto him, but suddenly he was being pulled from their grasp. They watched in horror as the form of the vampire was wrenched from them and dragged towards the opening of the Hellmouth. The actual opening was far too narrow to admit anything of his size, but that didn't seem important. He was pulled through the gap, a scream of agony on his lips as he fitted through that impossible gap. The two men could only watch in amazement as the scream drifted off into the unimaginable depths.


	24. Chapter 24

__

So, just who is Red Cross? Read on to find out.

Chapter 24 - Thursday, Alternate Reality

They left the cave complex just after midnight. Buffy, Spike and four Jelkas, hand picked by Spike, got into a van and drove to the hospital. Knowing that only essential personnel would be on duty at the hospital increased the likelihood of their getting in and out without concerned members of the public turning vigilante on them. The news on the vigilante groups was good in general. It seemed they had been told to stand down until further notice, and they seemed to be doing so. 

Cordelia came round to find herself strapped to a bed. She was conscious, but initially found it difficult to open her eyes. Without her sight, she used her other senses to try to make sense of her situation. The first thing that hit her was the smell. It was obvious she was in a hospital. It didn't matter how hard they tried to cover up that smell, hospitals always smelled that way. She thought hard, trying to remember why she was in hospital. Slowly, her memory returned. The meeting. She was supposed to meet with the hospital administrator, but something had happened. 

She had another go at opening her eyes, and found that this time, the muscles obeyed. She was in a largish room. Beds lined both the long walls. Looking around, she noticed that only two were occupied. The other, next to her own, held an unmoving form. There was no sign of anyone around. Filling her lungs with air, Cordelia tried shouting. She shouted for someone, anyone to come and untie her. When this elicited no response, she took another look around. As she looked towards the entrance of the ward, she saw a sign on the wall opposite, directing people into the ward she was in. It read 'Psychiatry'. Somehow she knew that the only people who could hear her already knew she was there.

The vampire and the Slayer had decided to check each floor in turn. They had managed to borrow a white coat each, and hid the Jelkas in a store room on each floor as they checked everything out. So far, they had found nothing suspect. They had checked four floors when Spike spotted the discrepancy. He found a telephone list next to an unmanned nurses' station. It implied that there were eleven floors to the building. The elevator they had used only gave access to the first ten. Having spotted that, they took the Jelkas straight to the tenth floor and went in search of a way up. 

It took a while, but they found it. It was a service elevator, hidden behind some storage facilities. Retrieving the Jelkas from their hiding place, they went up to the top floor.

The floor seemed deserted at first. As they made their way along the corridor, they saw empty wards on either side. As they moved, Spike used his preternatural hearing to make sure no one crept up on them. The six moved silently, using only hand signals for communication. In fact, no communication was needed between Buffy and Spike. They both instinctively knew what the other intended. Suddenly, Spike signalled a halt. Raising his face to the ceiling, he slipped into demon face to sample the air more closely. He recognised Cordelia's scent, and another which was vaguely familiar, but which he couldn't place. He pointed to a doorway ahead and to the right. Continuing more cautiously now, they approached the doorway. Looking in, Buffy at once recognised Cordelia. Putting a finger to her lips to prevent her calling out, she went into the room. Spike and the Jelkas followed. 

"You unite her, love," Spike whispered. "The rest of us'll just have a look further along. There's someone ahead, and I want to know who it is."

Buffy nodded her agreement and bent to the task of untying Cordelia and then went to look at the man in the other bed. He still appeared to be unconscious, and she was surprised to find it was the man who had returned the video tape to her. Panic suddenly assailed her as she realised how he had contacted the resistance. If he was here, whoever was responsible for this whole thing would now know about Willow.

Although they were both untied, Buffy quietly persuaded Cordelia to go back to her bed and pretend to sleep. She wanted to find Spike and persuade him to get out of here as quickly as they could so they could warn Willow. Buffy knew Willow had gone home that night after complaints from Xander that he had hardly seen her recently. 

Following his nose, Spike had found the room containing those responsible for keeping Cordelia and Brian prisoner. There were eight of them, all armed. Of course, as soon as Spike and the Jelkas entered the room, they opened fire. Two bullets hit Spike and the Jelkas all had a similar number of injuries before those in the room realised their guns were useless. After that, it took only a short time before all eight were rendered unconscious. The bullets he had taken were painful, but Spike grinned at his Jelkas when everything went quiet. They were his 'army'. He had trained them, and they had done all he had asked them to do. He felt a glow of pride saturate him, and he knew they felt the same sense of achievement.

Buffy caught up with them at that point, running to the sound of the scuffle. She looked in and saw everything was under control. Spotting the two holes in Spike's T-shirt which still dripped blood, she ran to him, concerned. He winced as she gently touched his chest, close to his heart, where the two wounds were, but put an arm around her to reassure her he was ok. This was getting to be a habit, getting shot. He'd only just recovered from the bullet he took getting away from the Initiative base. 

Red Cross watched them from the other side of the one way glass. He didn't feel threatened. He knew no one would realise it was more than a mirror on the wall. He was very put out, and had already sent for reinforcements to come to the hospital, but knew the Slayer and her demon band would be gone by the time they arrived. He was resigning himself to shutting up shop in Sunnydale and starting again somewhere else. He had already more than met his costs out of the Sunnydale operation, so he could afford to.

As Spike turned to look at Buffy, his attention was called to the mirror. Of course, he couldn't see his own reflection, he could only see Buffy and the Jelkas behind him. As he looked, he saw something where his own reflection should have been. He froze, eyes on the spot. There it was again. Something was moving, and it appeared to be **behind** the mirror.

Trying to be casual about it, he sidled up to the nearest Jelka and whispered something to him. The demon didn't understand why he was asked to go and break the mirror, but he trusted the vampire. He raised one huge, scaly fist and smashed the mirror. Glass fell around the floor as the mirror exploded from the impact. What she saw behind the broken glass made Buffy gasp in surprise.

The small man froze in terror. For an instant, he stood still, and then he tried to run. Spike jumped through the broken glass and caught the man as he tried to escape. Buffy followed, more cautiously, dismayed to see that Spike had picked up several long gashes to his limbs in his attempt to catch the man.

The man lay on his front on the floor, with Spike straddling him. He tried to struggle at first, then gave up the attempt.

"Turn him over," Buffy told Spike. He complied.

When she saw the face of the man behind the whole operation, she knew she had been right. It was Principal Snyder. The little man's bald head was prickling with perspiration as he lay on the floor. Already his mind was working, trying to find a way out of his current predicament. Unless his reinforcements arrived soon, he could think of none. 

As quickly as they could, one of the Jelkas lifted Snyder off the floor and carried him over his shoulder to the service elevator, collecting Cordelia and Brian on the way. Fortunately, this elevator reached the ground floor in an area not much used at night and close to a back entrance. As inconspicuously as they could, they made their way to the van and from there to the cave complex.

Once in the back of the van, Buffy tied Snyder up as well as she could. The Jelkas were fussing over one another, removing bullets from their companions with their mouths. They had offered Spike the same service, but he had declined and got into the driver's seat. Cordelia went with him, while Buffy stayed with the Jelkas and a very nervous Brian Wakefield.

Snyder was calm despite everything that had happened. He knew his reinforcements would be close by now, and still hoped for rescue. What he didn't realise was that they had been held up on the way because they had been speeding. When they reached the concealed car park, he was lifted unceremoniously onto the shoulder of one of the seven foot demons and carried the rest of the way to the complex. Conscious of what had happened to Riley, Snyder was tied securely and left with an escort of both (uninjured) Jelkas and a human.

Buffy insisted that the medical student remove Spike's bullets. His comments that she could do it fell on deaf ears. While that was happening, she managed to call Willow. She wasn't at her dorm, but a friend said she was probably at Xander's. This was a relief, as Brian didn't know where he lived and couldn't therefore give the details to anyone. Warning the friend not to give anyone else that information, she ended the call. Next she called Xander's. She advised Willow to get out and come to the caves, bringing Xander with her. She agreed, and with a sigh of relief, Buffy went back to waiting for Spike. 

It took some time before he emerged from Simon's ministrations looking grim and bandaged. His shirt had been too badly shredded to be worth keeping, and there were gashes in his jeans too, although he had insisted on keeping them. Spike threw Buffy an injured look. "Why couldn't you've done it?" he demanded.

Buffy was surprised. "Because he knows what he's doing?" she told him, bristling.

"Does he hell. Ham fisted is what he is. Nearly ripped me apart trying to get the second bullet out. You'd have made a better job."

Buffy smiled. "Aw, did it hurt?"

Spike just made an inarticulate sound and folded his arms. He immediately regretted this course of action as the pain from one of the holes in his chest was suddenly increased. He winced. A second later, Buffy was next to him, her face lined with concern. "Sorry, Spike." Her expression changed, becoming expectant. "Maybe I could kiss it better?"

Spike laughed, another action he immediately regretted. He pulled Buffy closer and kissed her.

"You know, maybe you could at that," he answered, leading her to 'their' cavern.

__

Ok, Claudia79AD, you were right - well sort of. You do know Red Cross. Well, is he evil enough? I thought so, but.. Definitely always had delusions of grandeur! 


	25. Chapter 25

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Chapter 25 - Thursday, Standard Reality

It took several moments before either Meddows or Xander realised what had happened. They both dropped to the ground as one, to find Buffy, unconscious, and paler than Spike had ever been, at their feet. With one mind, they picked her up and made for the exit. Between them they hoisted her up onto the library floor. When they got there they saw the two witches with Spike. Tara had obviously done some sort of spell, because he seemed to be peacefully at rest, although his injuries were horrific. The two witches took Buffy to hospital while Xander and Meddows put Spike in the back of the newspaper van they had used. 

"Where to?" Meddows asked as he slipped into the driving seat. Xander paused. He had been about to direct him to Spike's crypt, then realised he couldn't, remembering the key Tara had pressed into his hand before she left. Instead he said, "Revello Drive."

When they arrived, the two men carried Spike indoors. Leading the way, Xander climbed the stairs and opened the door to Buffy's room. It went against his better judgement to have Spike here, but he knew it was what this other Buffy would want. He said a silent prayer that their own Buffy would be back soon and keeping Spike at a decent distance. They placed the vampire on the bed, and Xander went to find towels and the first aid kit. Between them, they tended his wounds as well as they could. Meddows was amazed that anything could have survived such injuries. They were relieved when they heard Tara returning.

"Willow's going to stay with Buffy. She's getting some blood, and she'll be ok. Still unconscious when I left, though. How's he doing?"

Tara approached the bed. "I did a spell my mom taught me. It's a healing spell - it won't speed things very much, but it'll give him some respite from the pain, for a while at least."

At the hospital, Buffy had come around. Immediately, she started trying to sit up, instantly realising that was a bad idea when a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her. She lay back down and opened her eyes to see Willow leaning over her. "Spike?" she whispered.

"Xander took care of him," Willow started, then realised that her words were open to misinterpretation. "He's safe. Xander and Meddows took him," she paused. They hadn't discussed where Spike should go. She hedged her bets, hoping Xander had taken Tara's hint, "home."

"I've got to go," Buffy started to try to sit up again.

Willow pushed her back down. "Buffy, wait. You lost a lot of blood. They say if you'd lost any more, you wouldn't still be here. Let the transfusion finish. Then see how you feel. You're no good to him now any way. Tara did a healing spell. It'll lessen the pain and let him sleep for a while. Xander'll get him some blood."

"Will he?" Buffy asked, unsure.

"I'll make sure he does. I'll just go and call, ok?"

As she stood up to go, Buffy grabbed her arm. "I don't know what happened, but I do know neither Spike nor I would still be here if it hadn't been for you, Tara and Xander. And you don't even know us. Thanks."

Willow nodded. "It's just what we do. What we've always done."

This seemed to satisfy the Slayer, and Willow went off to make the call.

As promised, the local paper that morning was full of details of how a disused warehouse had been blown up by 'what appeared to be a gas explosion'. In a town where odd things weren't unusual, no one paid any attention.

Meddows stayed at the house in Revello Drive for a while, gently asking questions, finding out what he could about the creature upstairs. He had had the opportunity to hear his daughter's story of her rescue now that she had calmed down, and he was filled with admiration for the whole group of people, but especially for the vampire. Sarah was obviously completely in awe of hem. He knew that without the information supplied by Spike, the raid on the warehouse wouldn't have resulted in the rescue of all those people. Some were still in hospital, and some would need counselling, but none had died. For Sunnydale, that was an amazing occurrence. 

It was well into the day when Spike finally regained consciousness. As soon as he did, his demon face resurfaced as his need for blood once again overtook rational thought. The moan, which came from his lips as he tried to move, roused Xander from his spot on the other side of the room. Seeing the demon face, his first instinct was to run or grab a stake. Hedging his bets, he checked he still had a stake in his back pocket. He stood up, took the blood he had obtained from Willy, and poured it into the mug he had ready. Sitting beside Spike on the bed, he helped the vampire sit up and drink.

It took several pints of blood before Spike's face returned to its human form. Even then, it was hardly recognisable. Both eyes were swollen shut and his nose had been broken. Tara had used her limited healing skill to set that and other broken bones. His ribs were bandaged and there was hardly a spot on his body which was unmarked. Xander and Meddows had removed what was left of his clothing, so he was now naked under the sheet on the bed except for a pair of boxers Xander had lent him to spare Tara's blushes. Sinking back into the bed, Spike seemed about to drift back to sleep, when his eyes suddenly tried to open again, as the events of the previous night reasserted themselves onto his consciousness.

"Buffy?" he croaked.

"She's going to be fine," Xander reassured him. "I spoke to Willow, and the only thing that stopped her coming straight home was the fact that Willow told her she'd be no use to you until she's stronger. They're giving her blood." 

Spike nodded slightly. He looked at the young man sitting close to him. He knew he had been involved in what had happened even though he didn't know the details. He realised that both he and Buffy owed their lives to him and the others. "Thanks," he muttered.

Xander wasn't quite sure what to say, and that's where polite formulae come in. "You're welcome," he replied.

Satisfied, Spike sank back down again, sleep claiming him as the healing process at last started. 

__

These chapters are short as I decided to stick to my formula of one day in one reality per chapter.


	26. Chapter 26

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Chapter 26 - Friday, Alternate Reality

As soon as he knew Cordelia was safe, Jack Singer put his machine back into commission. In fact, he had already unearthed enough information to confirm the details of the whole organ harvesting scheme. He rushed back to Sunnydale and made straight for the resistance complex. Cordelia was waiting for him when he arrived. She had made the other womens' lives miserable as she complained about the living quarters she had to put up with. Sleeping in a shared dormitory, no proper shower facilities, eating alongside demons with very perverse eating habits, no clean clothes, her list was endless. Yet they all ceased when Jack walked into the hub and saw her. He couldn't help himself. She looked untidy - nothing like the usual Cordelia, but she looked beautiful to him. He walked straight to her and put out his arms to hold her. He expected her to pull back, to put their relationship back on the purely professional level they had always maintained. Instead, she returned the action, holding him as tightly as he held her. 

Having got her back, Jack knew he would have to talk to her. He had to know how she felt about him. She was obviously glad to see him, but that could mean anything. He promised himself a long conversation with her, just as soon as the current crisis was over. In the meantime, he got her to tell her story. Discovering that Snyder had been taken during her rescue, he decided to go and interview him. There were plans to hand him over to the authorities as soon as it seemed likely that they would believe the whole scheme. Until then, he was being held in as much comfort as security and the cave complex would permit. 

Having the chance to interview Snyder was a big help. The little man was perversely proud of his achievements and irritated by the idea that the whole scheme belonged to anyone but him. As a result, he told Singer everything. There were some serious doubts as to Snyder's sanity, but at least the whole scheme was more or less understood. 

When he had talked to Snyder, Jack decided he had enough to break the story. The whole thing would take weeks to pull together, but it was important to get the main facts onto the national stage so that any remaining conspirators would know that the scheme was over. He had a programme due to air that evening, and he flew back to his base to record a short exposé for that evening with promises of more details in subsequent programmes. 

At Cordelia's insistence, the mention of demons was to be avoided. The resistance members agreed. The demons of Sunnydale had had enough to put up with lately without becoming California's latest tourist attraction. So, in standard Sunnydale tradition, the people being blamed for the hellmouth's problems became drug-crazed gangs. The rest of the story went more or less as it had happened. Of course, the resistance wasn't mentioned. The humans involved had, without exception, lost someone close to them at the hands of the Initiative or their vigilantes. All they wanted was to be allowed to rebuild their lives.

The show aired early that evening. The hub was full of humans and monsters watching the television that had been set up for the occasion. When the authorities agreed to investigate Jack's claims, a cheer went up. Among those watching was the most unlikely couple in the place. Buffy and Spike stood with the others. As had become their custom over the past few days, they were touching each other, almost unconsciously. His arm was draped around her waist, his hand gently stroking her bare arm. Her arm was similarly draped around his waist, her thumb hooked into his belt loop while her fingers ran little lines over his hip through his jeans.

When the show was over, Buffy had an idea. "Spike," she started.

He smiled at her, noticing what her fingers were doing and wondering how soon he could get her somewhere private.

"Yes, pet?"

"You remember, when the vigilantes were coming to my house?"

He nodded, unsure where this was going.

"Well, we haven't been back, and I'd kinda like to see how much damage was done. Could we go and look?"

"Not really what I had in mind just now," he admonished her, giving her a look which told her more eloquently than words could have, exactly what he had in mind. She didn't react, so he shrugged. "But if you want, love, we can go and look."

She hugged his arm, gratefully. "I've just got to get some things," she said, running off and leaving him standing there, confused.

She was back in a few minutes and they headed for the car park. Spike had obtained the keys to one of the cars there, and they headed into Sunnydale.

Driving along Revello Drive, Buffy was craning her neck to try to see her house as soon as she could. When she spotted it, her jaw dropped. From what she could see, it was undamaged. As they got closer, they saw signs of the events of the previous week. The door had been knocked in, and a couple of windows had been broken. The damage had been boarded up, and Buffy muttered a silent thank you to whichever neighbour had had the kindness to do that.

Spike prised off the wood boarding up the front door, and they walked in. Buffy looked around in amazement. It looked as though the place had been ransacked, drawers and cupboards had been emptied, but as far as she could tell, nothing was missing. Continuing on her way upstairs, she went to her bedroom. Again, things were lying around, but otherwise it looked pretty much as it had the day she left. Looking at the bedside cabinet, she spotted her other self's diary. On impulse, she took it in her hand and rummaged in the drawer for a pen. Thinking quickly, she started to write, outlining the events of the past days. At the end, she added some telephone numbers. She had run around the cave complex before she left, getting contact numbers for all the people she could who were important to her in her own reality. Willow, Oz, even Jenny. Xander would come with the Willow package. 

Having completed her task, she looked up to find Spike standing in the doorway, a mug of blood in his hand. "I've been going easy on blood lately. Didn't have much with me, and I've been rationing it," He explained. "Gotta keep my strength up," he added suggestively.

Buffy smiled at him. "What about privacy? Anyone could walk in."

"I boarded up the door again," he told her. We'll have to use the back door until we get it fixed."

Buffy smiled happily. He approached the bed, the walk and expression at the same time new and yet familiar. He was stalking her. That much was apparent in his gait as he rolled his shoulders and moved silently towards her. She held out her arms to beckon him to her, and he finished the distance to the bed in record time. 

Buffy thought afterwards that this was the time she finally accepted her feelings for the vampire. Sleeping with him in 'their' cavern had been amazing, but somehow it was temporary. It didn't say anything about commitment. Having him in her bed was special. Looking into his eyes much later, she knew it was special for him too.


	27. Chapter 27

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Chapter 27 - Friday, Standard Reality

Buffy was recovering fast. The only thing wrong with her when she arrived at hospital had been blood loss and that had been remedied quickly. Willow's warning that she needed to recover before seeing Spike had been heard, but by early next morning, after a good night's sleep, she was keen to get moving. The early morning routine of the hospital was already underway. Breakfasts were served. Blood samples taken and drugs distributed. Blood pressure was measured and temperatures taken. 

When it was at last over, Buffy got up and pulled open the cupboard containing her clothes. Stuffing them into a bag, she pulled on the hospital issue dressing gown she had been given and shuffled off to the shower room. Once there, behind locked doors, she had a quick, reviving shower and dressed. Peering out of the door to check the way was clear, she left the shower room and walking as confidently as she could, left the hospital. Once outside, she broke into a run. The only thing on her mind was to get to Spike. She had seen how badly he was hurt, and she had to get to him.

When Willow rang the hospital to check on Buffy's condition, she was told she had gone. Immediately worried and unsure what to tell Spike who was anxious for news, she paced the hallway. Relief flooded her expression when Buffy came through the door looking a little flushed from her run but otherwise well.

Stopping only to smile reassuringly at her friend, she continued up the stairs and into her bedroom. She stopped at the doorway, suddenly unsure of what she'd find. Looking at her bed, she saw him. His legs had been rather crudely splinted and what she could see was a mixture of bruising and barely healing skin. He was partly covered by a sheet, and she could see he was wearing only a pair of boxers which she knew weren't his. Seeing her eyes on them, he looked a little embarrassed. 

"Borrowed them from Xander. Tara's been in and out with herbal infusions and to reinstate her healing spell." 

Buffy had remained at the doorway as he spoke, but now walked slowly to her bed. She seemed unsure of what to do, so Spike held out a hand, wincing slightly as he moved his arm. It was a lot less painful but it still hurt. Seeing his wince, Buffy moved closer, sitting gently on the bed beside him.

"I don't want to hurt you," she began, softly. In truth, she wanted to hold him so tight, it would have been painful even if he wasn't injured.

"Most painful thing, was not being able to touch you last night," he admitted, an encouraging smile on his lips.

That was all she needed. Stripping to her underwear, she lifted the sheet and slipped in beside him, pulling a sheet over them both, her arm lying gently around his waist. 

When Tara looked in later, the two were still lying together, Buffy's arm around Spike's waist, and they were sleeping peacefully. Smiling to herself, Tara closed the door. It didn't look as if Spike needed another of her healing spells to help him to sleep. All he needed was Buffy beside him.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 - Epilogue - Saturday, Standard Buffy and Spike**

Spike climbed in through Buffy's window. It was nearly dawn. He took off his jeans and T-shirt and slipped back into bed. Without waking, Buffy sensed his presence and moved towards him, spooning up to him, her back against his stomach. Spike groaned in pleasure. She was asleep, and she could make him feel like that. He considered waking her, but thought better of it. There would be plenty of time later.

When she had eventually fallen into an exhausted sleep, he had gone out. He had been around Sunnydale, checking out the current situation. As far as he could tell, things looked good. A few demons had already left the cave complex and returned to their lairs. It would be a while before everything returned to normal, but it was a start.

Putting his arms around the woman beside him, Spike pulled her even closer and buried his face in her hair. He was home. With a sigh of total contentment, he felt sleep claim him.

The shrill sound of an alarm clock caused Buffy to start awake. Now, why had she set that? She froze for a second. Spike had recognised that she was awake, and had started to nuzzle her neck. She started to lose herself in the sensation, when it hit her. The alarm was set. She tensed, and Spike pulled back, surprised. What was that? She jumped out of bed. "It's Willow!" she shouted, grabbing a wrap and pulling it around her. She turned to Spike who was looking a little bemused. "We're back!" she added before running out of the room.

Spike lay and listened to the excited voices in the hallway. He took a deep breath. Some habits die hard. Buffy was obviously delighted to be back. She and Willow were joined by and Tara and he could just picture the scene. Hugs and tears. The voices he could hear. The noise faded slightly as the girls headed downstairs. He'd always suspected this would happen. Whatever had shifted them into the other reality did it for a purpose. Now the purpose was complete, they were back. With a heavy heart, Spike got out of bed, and dressed. He looked at the bed he had just left and sighed. Waking beside Buffy was special. But waking beside her in her own bed, that was the best. He was glad he'd been able to do it just once. 

He crept downstairs, listening to the exclamations now coming from the lounge. They were catching up on the news. Someone, Willow by the sound of it, was talking to Xander on the phone. Spike spotted a blanket close to the front door. His other self must have left it there. Pulling it over his head, he quietly opened the front door. He had a measure of shade there on the doorstep, and he silently closed the front door behind him before sprinting for the manhole.

He made his way back to his crypt with a heavy heart. He had known it would happen. Hell, she'd told him. 'Here and now, I love you.' 'I can't promise forever.' He heard the words replayed in his mind. She was back. She had her friends. She no longer needed him.

Reaching his crypt, he wasn't surprised to find it didn't look as if it had been used recently. Good, at least his other self had managed to hold his ground against the gang. But he had been there first. In this reality, it was Spike who was the newcomer. The new kid on the block who would never be part of the team, never be part of her life.

Stifling an urge to kick something, he started to pack. He was damned if he was going to stay around to be the extra in her life. The bit player. He'd had it all, and the scraps simply wouldn't do anymore. He definitely wouldn't be around when she found someone else to share her bed. Another Captain Cardboard. Or worse. 

There wasn't really a lot he needed to pack. He had just about everything he couldn't bear to leave behind, and it was all in a small bag. There was just one more thing. He dropped to the lower level of the crypt and moved to the dark corner, on the opposite side to the tunnel entrance. There he found the box he used to put odds and ends in. There was only one thing he wanted from there. Rummaging through it, he found the silver skull ring. Funny, he hadn't thought about it in a long time. It was the ring he gave to her when they were engaged, after that stupid spell Willow did. He looked at it for several minutes, remembering. "Funny," he thought, "must be dusty. My eyes're watering." He put a fist up to his eyes to wipe the tears away. "Who'm I fooling? I'm just such a poof." This last was said out loud.

Buffy had crept down the ladder silently. She had told her friends about the changes in her life while she had been away. Xander had heard on the phone, although she still had to face him. She had told them about Spike. They hadn't been happy, but she made it clear it was non-negotiable. Having heard that Dawn was due back later, she had gone back to her room to find him gone. Confused, she had run most of the way to his crypt. She came closer to him. She had expected him to notice her. He always did. She looked at him. He was kneeling in front of a box, rummaging through it for something. After a while, he pulled something out of it. She recognised it immediately. It was the skull ring. She smiled at the memory. He played with the ring, rolling it between his fingers. She watched him, then her eyes dropped to the bag at his side. 

" Who'm I fooling. I'm just such a poof," she heard him saying to himself. 

"Spike," she called, quietly.

He span around, surprised to see her. Self consciously, he wiped his eyes again, checking for any remaining moisture. "Dusty in 'ere," he said by way of explanation.

Buffy looked pointedly at the bag. "Going somewhere?"

Spike followed her gaze, shrugging his shoulders. "It's for the best, pet."

"What?"

"I'm going to get out of Sunnydale. Should have done it a long time ago. Overstayed my welcome."

Buffy was baffled. "Why, Spike?"

How could she be so dense? Didn't she know how he felt about her? Hadn't he told her often enough? He was suddenly angry. "Look, love, it's been good, but I'm not going back to the way things were. I'm not going back to being on the reserve team. I've had you. All of you. And I won't stay around and watch you from the sidelines again. Don't ask me to."

He picked up the bag and started to walk away.

"Is that what you want?" she asked.

"Did I say it was what I bloody want?" He twirled around, shouting. "What I want, and what I should do are two separate things. For once in my life I'm going to do what I should do. What I should've done before. Before I got in too deep."

"What do you want, Spike?" Her voice was strangely gentle, almost tearful.

"You know what I bloody want, woman. I want you. All of you. Forever. But it won't work now. Your friends won't let it work. You won't let it work."

"Spike, I'm here. All of me. If you want me." Her voice was a whisper.

He turned, looking into her eyes, waiting for the rest of it, the part that would break his heart all over again. Nothing came.

"What do you mean, 'if I want you'?"

"Spike, come home with me. Please." Her voice was definitely tearful. Hell, he couldn't stand to hear her upset. 

"I can't, love, you said it yourself. You loved me there. It won't work here."

"Spike, please, I love you. Now. Here." Her voice was breaking, willing him to believe her.

He took a step closer to her. She held out her arms to him. The last few steps he took at a run. He pulled her into his arms, and kissed her hard. When she broke away so she could breathe, he looked into her eyes, still trying to see if she meant what she said.

"I love you, Spike. I can't imagine my life without you. Not now. I need you in my life, in all of my life. I need you in my bed. And if my friends can't cope, well, they'll just have to. They know, I told them. I am not giving you up, William the Bloody. Forever may be short for a slayer, but for what it's worth, I'm willing to have a go at 'forever', if you'll have me?"

"Of course I'll bloody have you!" His voice was cracking under the emotional strain of the last few minutes. "But," he groaned, "could we make it my bed for the moment? I'm not sure I can wait till we get back to yours."

Buffy smiled, a genuinely happy smile. "Ok," she told him, her grin turning wicked. "We can start in your bed, but we definitely end up in mine, deal?"

She never actually got an answer. Not in words, anyway, and not until much later.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 - Epilogue, Saturday, Alternate Spike and Buffy**

Spike woke first. In the early hours of the morning, he sat up on the bed. Checking his legs, he judged that they were healed enough to remove the splints. If there was one thing about immortality, it was the fact that you soon knew how to judge the state of injuries. When that was complete, he got back into bed, spooning up behind Buffy the way he liked to sleep. 

It was late when they finally woke. Both still needed healing, and sleep was the best way to achieve that. Initially, Buffy stretched, pushing herself closer to Spike as she did so. She felt his response to her, the same as it always was when they woke. Stop. The same as it always was. Stop. Realising he shouldn't be able to mould to her as he was doing, she turned around. That had two effects. One was that she could see his face. The other was that she could see the clock. His expression almost drove the other effect out of her mind. Almost, but not quite. She jumped out of bed. "We overslept!" she said, rushing to the door. "Dawn should be at school by now." 

Somehow, Spike had jumped out of bed and made it to the door before her - probably because she had taken time to grab a wrap while he hadn't. Standing there, looking into her eyes with a provocative smile on his lips, he said, "It's Saturday, love, and she's due back at lunchtime."

Realising he was right, she had no objections when he pushed her back towards her bed, making sure she lost the wrap somewhere along the way. As she collapsed onto the bed, Spike landing on top of her, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Spike had winced as he landed, rolling onto his back, bruises and cracked ribs protesting at the sudden abuse. That gave Buffy time to grab what she had seen. She picked up her diary.

"What? I thought your other self didn't keep a diary," he said, still shuffling, trying to get comfortable.

"She didn't," Buffy said, flicking through the pages until she reached the most recent entries.

"We're back," she exclaimed, sitting up again. "Look!" she offered a glimpse at the book.

"The Initiative and the vigilantes have been stopped, or soon will be. It's over, Spike, it's over." She turned over another page. "And she's left me phone numbers of some people she says we should contact. Willow, and someone called Oz and another called Jenny - and she's left you contact details for a herd of Jelka demons she says you've grown attached to! What are Jelka demons?"

"Big, ugly brutes," Spike tried to remember. "Sort of blue in colour, but gentle as they come. I can't imagine why I'd be involved with them. But," his expression changed from confusion to his most provocative smile. "If we're back," he moved closer to her. "Then we've got the house to ourselves." He pulled her down so she was lying by his side, facing him. "And that means we can make as much noise as we like." He kissed her. Then he moved to lapping his tongue around the marks left by Dominic. And it was a long time before Buffy thought about calling any of the people on the list. And afterwards, she was glad the house was otherwise empty. If it hadn't been, she would have been very embarrassed. 

The End

_Please, if you enjoyed this, leave a review. If you've got some constructive criticism, Email me with your comments. (cryptic6464@ýahoo.co.uk) It'll give me heart to get on with my next story!_


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